Can the U.S. Become a No-Kill Nation?

Every once in a while, you come across a very creative person — or two — with the commitment and determination to make a difference for a cause dear to their heart.  Marina Dervan and Mark Barone are two such people.  Their cause: make the United States the first no-kill nation on earth.

Dog lovers for decades, they are still mourning their 20-year-old dog, Santina, who died last year. Mark and Marina were beside themselves with grief.  When they finally decided it was time to adopt a new canine into their lives, they started a search online and contacted shelters and rescue groups.

Through this research, they discovered some facts about homeless pets in the U.S. and were stunned to learn that most shelters have a 60% kill rate — or higher.  They decided they had to do something about it. 

"We simply asked ourselves…what can we do?  We have got to get the truth out there, and stop the outrageous killing," Marina told me in an email.  "How can we combine our talents to change the status quo, wake people up, so collectively we don’t remain silent about things that matter?"

The next day, Mark — a prolific artist — told Marina he decided he will paint portraits of the total number of dogs killed every day in U.S. shelters.  The idea started to take shape when Marina began researching websites and shelters to determine the number of dogs killed every year.

She discovered there is no mandatory reporting of kill numbers from shelters in the country.  She learned about Asilomar Accords — an attempt to standardize data collection from shelters –  through Maddie’s Fund and realized they would have to estimate the conclusions.  And so 5,500 U.S. shelter dogs killed per day is the number they calculated.  Marina and Mark actually believe the number to be higher but settled on what they estimate as a conservative figure.

An Act of Dog Is Born

With no-kill as their goal, Marina and Mark came up with an idea to help raise funds for the many animal rescuers who are working at the local, hands-on level to save animals.  They understand the actual saving of pet’s lives is taking place there and not with the national organizations like HSUS or PETA.

They are attempting to raise $20 million to be spread among the frontline workers.  Yes,, $20 million is a lot of money, but they have a unique way to raise it.

Mark will create 5,500 paintings of actual dogs who were killed in shelters and display them to the public.  That is, after all, the low-ball number Mark and Marina calculated; that’s how many dogs are killed every day in U.S. shelters. 
They will display the paintings on ten foot high panels that will take up the length of two football fields.  It will be a stunning statement.

An Act of Dog Evolves

An Act of Dog continues to evolve.  At first, the couple thought they would display the portraits at various cities throughout the country and eventually sell the paintings.  As they realized the enormous visual impact a display of 5,500 portraits will have on the average person, they understood it would not be enough.  A grander idea was conceived. 

They now plan on giving the display — the size of two football fields — a permanent home in a theme park-like setting where people can visit with their family, both human and canine, and browse shops and attractions at the same time.  Think Disneyland for dogs! They are currently searching for a permanent site and are open to hearing from any area of the country.

An Act of Dog is progressing, but is still in its infancy.  Phase One started when Mark and Marina put out a bid to 32 cities to host the creation of the portraits.  Ultimately Louisville, Kentucky was chosen and recently Marina and Mark moved there from their home in Santa Fe, New Mexico.  The Mellwood Art Center in Louisville has generously donated the space for Mark to create the portraits.

The portraits are just the beginning.  In Phase Two, Marina will be working on making a documentary on the no-kill movement in an effort to educate the public about the issues we face in continuing to fund high-kill shelters.  "We aspire to become the greatness that our beloved pets already believe us to be, by ensuring with our voices and actions that America becomes a No-kill Nation" is the message on the homepage of An Act of Dog.

Work on the documentary is scheduled to begin in the next couple of months.  Marina has already interviewed some shelter workers who are willing to reveal what goes on in the infamous killing rooms and how the animals are disposed of.  The purpose, of course, is public education with the goal of no-kill.

Some Disturbing Statistics

Marina told me there are between 8-12 million pets per year who find their way into the shelter system.  With the exception of those in privately funded, no-kill shelters, the vast majority of pets will eventually be killed because they were not adopted in time.  The typical ordinance, though every municipality differs, mandates that a stray pet must be claimed by an owner within 72 or be euthanized.  Some shelters will keep the pet longer if space permits, but not all.
People who are interested in participating in this novel initiative can visit the website to donate toward expenses.  

The Work Moves Forward

"No-kill people already get it," Mark told me in an interview.  "Our goal is to show the general public what is happening in high-kill shelters, so things can change."  When asked how emotionally draining the creation of these portraits may be on Mark, he responded,  "the mission fuels me."

"I must pay homage to their spirits and to do that I study their photos."  He went on to say how difficult it is to connect with a spirit of a dog that is now dead, knowing there is no valid reason the pet lost his life.   "We are determined to see it through," both Marina and Mark agreed.  "We do not want the dogs to have died in vain."

Would You Like to Help?

Both Mark and Marina are so committed to the no-kill concept they have dedicated the next two years of their lives to making it a reality.  They will be working on this project full time until it is complete, with no personal compensation.  Want to join them in their efforts? 

Take Action:  Sign the petition to support animal shelters.

Related Stories:

New Goal for HSUS: Achieving a No-Kill Community
The Answer to Preventing Animal Abuse: Humane Education
Rescue of the Week: Woman Squeezes Lifetime of Love into One Week

posted by: Megan Drake

The Difference Between No Kill Nation & Other Animal Advocacy Groups

Posted on February 22, 2011 by Hannah Sentenac

When it comes to animal advocacy, sadly, not all organizations are in it for the best interest of the animals they claim to protect, and it’s important that compassionate Americans know who’s who. Too many groups have become wealthy & powerful by preying on the empathy and altruism of Americans, while sweeping the truth about their policies and practices under the rug.

It turns out that many fans of No Kill Nation on Facebook are also fans of the Humane Society of the US, the ASPCA and/or PETA. On the surface that might seem logical, since all organizations revolve around animal welfare, but the reality is, the philosophy that guides No Kill Nation couldn’t differ more from the philosophy these other groups subscribe to.

Many Americans believe (as I once did), that the HSUS, the ASPCA and PETA are working to save the lives of animals. Many believe that the hard-earned money they donate in response to the heartbreaking TV commercials and fundraising campaigns goes directly to the causes these organizations promote. Many believe that these groups are the biggest proponents for No Kill policies. Unfortunately, all of these statements are patently false.

What’s the difference between No Kill Nation and these other organizations? The main difference is a fundamental belief that a No Kill Nation is possible. These other organizations, despite the message they publicly promote, do NOT believe in the concept of No Kill, and in fact they work against it. They advocate killing, and they often espouse the idea that companion animals are “better off dead” than to be in the hands of humans. This comes from a deep-seated belief that human beings are bad – not to be trusted, and will abuse and neglect animals given the opportunity. In the end, this mentality serves to punish the animals, and leads to millions of unnecessary deaths. In truth, most people love animals, and will treat them with kindness and love, given the opportunity and the education.

We are a nation that spends more than $40 billion on our pets annually. It’s a very small percentage that are abusive or neglectful. Unfortunately, many on the front lines of animal rescue see so many horror stories involving animals (due to the time they spend at the local shelters), that they become angry & resentful towards other human beings. Falling prey to these beliefs is the worst possible scenario for the animals.

Instead of killing animals because we believe that human beings can’t be trusted, we should be praising the responsible pet owners, encouraging people to adopt, and educating them on how to properly care for their pets. This way, both animals and people benefit.

The HSUS, the ASPCA and PETA are fundamentally opposed to what No Kill Nation is working to do, which is to implement the proven No Kill Equation (an 11-step set of programs and policies for shelters) and create No Kill communities across the country. This is happening in communities across the country, and it’s possible everywhere. Anyone who tells you differently is either misinformed, a proponent of the status quo of killing, or brainwashed to believe otherwise. Personally, I used to be brainwashed, and believed that killing was necessary due to “a lack of resources” and “too many animals, not enough homes”. Both are nothing more than myths – the myth of overpopulation, and the myth that money = lives saved. Statistically, there are 17 million people in the US looking for new pets annually, who could be convinced to adopt, and 3-4 million that die in shelters – that’s far more than enough homes. Additionally, the No Kill Equation can be implemented within, and often under budget – so don’t let a shelter administrator tell you that MONEY is the key to life-saving.

These myths have persisted for decades, and their continued power is why the HSUS, ASPCA and PETA take in hundreds of millions of dollars per year from compassionate Americans. When the public gains widespread awareness about where their dollars are going, and realizes that the status quo isn’t working, that animals are dying needlessly and that there IS another way, these groups will have to evolve or die. There’s no room for the acceptance and advocacy of killing. A No Kill Nation is where we’re headed, and we will arrive.

If you want to learn more about No Kill Nation, please visit the Facebook page (which just hit 100,000+ fans!) and don’t hesitate to post questions. I definitely encourage you to read further about the policies & actions of the HSUS, ASPCA and PETA. Nathan Winograd has some terrific blog posts on the topic.

If you love companion animals, if you believe that every life is precious and that every saveable animal deserves to live, than the HSUS, the ASPCA and PETA are NOT on your side … but No Kill Nation is.

h/t to: Save Shelter Pets

Related:

Shelter (noun): Something that affords protection; a refuge, a haven… instead U.S. animal shelters are inhumane death camps… in many instances!

 

The Earth is Flat, Pet Over-Population Exists and Other Myths We’ve Been Told

 

Redemption Now Available as an E-Book!

Stop Gas Chambers in North Carolina Animal Shelters

iReport —

CNN:  Please do a story about gas chambers in North Carolina animal shelters. More than 20 counties in our state kill lost and abandoned dogs and cats in carbon monoxide chambers, which can endanger government staff while the animals suffer a horrible death.  We need you, CNN.

Lincoln County Animal Control

Lincolnton, NC

The gas chamber exploded in 2009 and injured a worker.  The employee described the incident on the WSOC news: “Kaboom, and here come a ball of flame.”

WSOC-TV video here: Gas Chamber Explodes and Injures Workerhttp://www.wsoctv.com/news/21349513/detail.html

Iredell County Animal Control

Statesville, NC

Despite a widely reported explosion of the gas chamber in 2008, the county continues to defend its use to kill animals.  An employee also described this explosion with the term “Kaboom.”

The county rejected an offer by a local celebrity to raise millions of dollars for a new shelter, with one condition being that no gas chamber would be used.  Unbelieveable.  Why is it worth so much to keep a machine which can hurt government employees or even kill them?

http://www.wsoctv.com/news/16956249/detail.html

Rowan County Animal Control

Salisbury, NC

Shelter manager Clai Martin angrily defends the gas chamber.  An employee told me that large C-clamps have been used to keep dogs from escaping the gas chamber, because they struggle so hard to get out and break the door latch open.  I asked Clai Martin about this and he said the C-clamps are used but “we don’t need them”.

Brunswick County Animal Services

Supply, NC

Since the old gas chamber would not pass new state regulations in 2009, the county purchased another used gas chamber which also did not comply.  Make sense?  Not to county residents who insist that the gassing stop.

For the three months spent repairing the second faulty gas chamber, the county euthanized all animals humanely by injection.  They have proven that this is possible for all animals but still resumed gassing in January 2010.

Sampson County Animal Control

Clinton, NC

A past inspection of the gas chamber by NC Department of Labor noted that an animal inside the chamber made noise for 10 minutes while gassed during the inspection.  The inspector said,“The animal begins to struggle because it cannot breathe.”

http://www.scribd.com/doc/7645495/Sampson-County-Gas-Chamber-Malfunction

Susan Holder, interim county manager, announced in a 2007 Sampson Independent article, “Once we move, we will abandon the use of the gas chamber.” However, the county has gone back to gassing most animals.

Randolph County Animal Shelter

Randleman, NC

Health director Mimi Cooper lobbied against Davie’s Law, a bill seeking to halt gas chambers in 2009.  She joked that she hoped the bill died by lethal injection.

A former community service worker served time at this shelter. She said she was so upset after seeing the animals gassed that she chose to go to jail instead.

Another former community service worker saw the animals being gassed, complained and was removed from the shelter.

Person County Animal Control

Roxboro, NC

Records show that a gas chamber company owner is a paid consultant for this shelter.  Notice #7 on the contract “providing advice and counseling on the methods and procedures being used.”  So the county is paying $2400 per year to a gas chamber company owner to advise them about using a gas chamber which he sold them? Local residents, who pay for the shelter with their tax money, want the gas chamber gone.  Is there a conflict of interest?  Read the contract here.

http://www.docstoc.com/docs/33747910/Person-County-Contract-with-Dr-Houser

Lee County Animal Control
Sanford, NC

County budgets show that a gas chamber company owner is a paid consultant for animal control.  Similar contract to above.

Vance County Animal Control

Henderson NC

The shelter manager called a rescuer and asked her to come and get a sweet dog who had survived the gas chamber.  He did not want to put her back in to be re-gassed.

Cabarrus County Animal Control

Concord, NC

Lieutenant Taylor gave me a tour of the shelter in 2007 and explained how the gas chamber is operated.  He said at the end of the cycle animals are removed from the chamber and placed in the incinerator.  I asked, “How do you know if they’re dead?”  He replied, “We just look at them.” According to experts, these animals could be burned alive if death is not verified.
Davidson County Animal Control

Lexington, NC

An NCDOL inspection of this shelter’s gas chamber revealed that National Welders Supply, which supplies CO gas to the shelter, does not formally inspect its cylinders for leaks.  So not only are leaking chambers a problem but also the cylinders.  Leaking carbon monoxide can be a hazard to staff and can make death slower for the animals.

http://www.scribd.com/doc/7646044/Davidson-County-Gas-Leak–

Wilkes County Animal Shelter

Wilkesboro, NC

Shelter director Junior Simmons defends gas chamber.  He said recently that even friendly, lively animals are gassed.

Johnston County Animal Services

Smithfield, NC

County officials made a public statement that gassing would end for most animals impounded as of January 1, 2006.  But in February 2006, shelter director Ernie Wilkinson (a former small-town mayor) backtracked and said the county was “waiting for guidance from the state” to make that change.
Craven/Pamlico Animal Services Center

New Bern, NC

The head of this county tax-funded animal shelter is a board member for an anti-animal-rights organization.  She and the organization defend the gas chamber, against the wishes of local residents.
Union County Animal Services

Monroe, NC

Sheriff Eddie Cathey and animal control supervisor Michelle Starnes were defendants in a lawsuit filed by NC Coalition for Humane Euthanasia and the local humane society.  The attorney presented proof that puppies and kittens under the age of 16 weeks, and animals with medical problems, were routinely gassed.  The case ended with an agreement that the sheriff and animal control would follow the law.

http://www.wsoctv.com/download/2008/0307/15530318.pdf

Local residents have complained that they were not allowed to look for their lost pets in the back of the shelter.  Only a small number of kennels are in the adoption area, while most pets are hidden in back with no hope to be saved.

Gaston County Animal Control

Dallas, NC

Killing classes are presented at this shelter by a gas chamber salesman, Dr. Ralph Houser, who serves with the head of the shelter on the board of NC Animal Rabies Control Association.

http://www.ncarca.com/PDF/2008-07-22Houser-Euthanasia.pdf

Board members

http://ncarca.com/boardmembers.asp

Davie County Animal Control

Mocksville, NC

This shelter still has the old gas chamber, though the county says it is rarely used. The county is home to Davie, a dog who survived the gas chamber and was found in a dumpster by a local citizen.

http://www.freewebs.com/animalshelternews/

The namesake of the shelter inspired Davie’s Law, introduced in 2009, which if passed would end gas chambers and require only humane euthanasia by injection in our state’s shelters.

Posted:  Just One More Pet

How Many Pets is Too Many??

Puppy Love

How many pets are too many pets???  How many kids are too many kids???  It is a very individual choice and number.

Animal Planet has announced a new series about people who own a lot of animals.  They are looking for pet families with 15 or more.

Some brand them as “animal hoarders.”, and some are, but some people have enough love in their heart and the where-with-all to properly take care of and lover a large group of pets or animals.

Where is that line between realizing that you have too many pets and not being able to take care of them and just being a huge animal person or family that can.

Trying to care for too many animals can sometimes be overwhelming. There can be financial burdens, health issues, family conflicts, even the run-ins with authorities. The new show wants to see how animal lovers – and their families – deal with these challenges and offer them some help.

In a time where there are so many families experiencing financial problems and so many pets and animals needing good homes and care… permanent, temporary or foster, the goal of all animal people should be to find solutions, give people willing to adopt and care for just one more pet help and put a stop to unreasonable pet restriction rules and laws and move to a no kill philosophy by working together.

To learn more, contact us at email: realstories@petfamily.org – or call them at our toll free number: 1-877-MY8-PETS.

Ask Marion – Just One More Pet

Huge List of Pups Out of Time Needing Homes – Updated

Please Join the No Kill Movement And Stop the Killing

No Kill Nation BUILDING NO KILL COMMUNITIES

Wall Photos

Wall Photos

Energetic, happy, sweet baby — OUT OF TIME!!!
Lancaster Shelter, CA

By: Shelter Stroll – http://lancaster-castaic-shelter.blogspo…
http://www.adoptasheltie.com/

This is URGENT. Must call on Wedn…

Tan Chi

By: Shelter Stroll – http://lancaster-castaic-shelter.blogspo…
http://www.adoptasheltie.com/

See More

Little Love Bug knows no strangers — OUT OF TIME!!!
Lancaster Shelter, CA

Wall Photos – This sweet girl is still looking for a GOOD HOME!!! Her owners dropped her off at the shelter & aske…

Union City, TN: Sophie needs a new furever home after her previous owners “dumped” her to be euthanized.

Pls share, thanks!! – please contact: vet’s # 731 665-6718

Angels for Animals Network LOS ANGELES

CA~South Los Angeles URGENT AND DEATHROW DOGS

A1099720 – FEMALE, TRICOLOR GERMAN SHEPHERD DOG MIX. Age: 4 M…

A1094456 – MALE, BLACK AND WHITE PIT BULL TERRIER. Age: 2…

***EXTREMELY URGENT***

AT RISK ***EXTREMELY URGENT***
MIA – ID#A1084132
Mia is a spayed female, blue and white American Staf…

The dogs posted here are on the New Hope Alert List and they are in imminent danger of being euthanized if not adopted or rescued. LA Animal Services West Valley Animal Care Center 20655 Plummer Street Chatsworth, CA 91311 818-756-9325 http://www.laanimalservices.com/

***EXTREMELY URGENT***

AT RISK ***EXTREMELY URGENT***
SALLY – ID#A1091696
She’s an unaltered female, tan Chinese Sharpei.
The…

The dogs posted here are on the New Hope Alert List and they are in imminent danger of being euthanized if not adopted or rescued. LA Animal Services West Valley Animal Care Center 20655 Plummer Street Chatsworth, CA 91311 818-756-9325 http://www.laanimalservices.com/

By:Paula Hsien

♥ Orange County Special Needs Animals ♥ 3/28/10

CHUCKY (A1009252)

UNALTERED MALE , BROWN AND WHITE CHIHUAHUA SH MIX, Age: 3 YEARS
Intake Condition: V…

To inquire about the animals listed please contact the Adoption Partner Coordinator at 714-935-6885. Information Sharing: OCACS encourages and appreciates the sharing of this information with fellow rescue organizations. Please do not alter or change the provided in…

By:Ashley Greenspan

CA~L.A NORTH CENTRAL ~ URGENTS AND DEATHROW DOGS

LANCE

A0849878 – NEUTERED MALE, WHITE TERRIER MIX.

Shelter: NORTH CENTRAL Condition: INJURED Age: 3 YR…

By: Petra Kleber Keim

Dogs need homes! 3/21/10

A4095065 Timothy is an affectionate two year old black
and white neutered male Labrador/Australian …

Here is our new list of hopefuls from the Baldwin Park shelter. The shelter is more packed then ever and they have major space issues. Please consider rescuing or adopting one of these many wonderful dogs. Baldwin Park shelter # 626.430.2378

By:Stephanie Levy

Astro BIG calm blue pittie at Pasadena shelter PLS SHARE

Just like Astro in the Jetson, I bet this mellow guy, even though he’s so BIG, might make a great apartment dog…

This big guy is so withdrawn at the shelter… I almost didn’t take him out to video him. But boy am I glad I did!! http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LAK9bqvEW4w What a lovely, big guy he is! It’s hard to tell in these photos, but he’s around 90 pounds of solid mellow nic…

Wiley & Rizzo Dumped at Pasadena Humane After 13 Years 😦

I was horrified and saddened to see two 13 year olds, Wiley(A047168) and Rizzo(A047169), show up on the website. They were surrendered because the owner was “moving”. They are both such great boys listed as a Dachshund mix around 20 lbs each. The tri-color one is Wi…

By:Ryoko Matsui

Wall Photos

Mellow guy just needs a bath –OUT OF TIME!!!!
Lancaster Shelter, CA

This is URGENT. Must call on Wedn…

By: Shelter Stroll – http://lancaster-castaic-shelter.blogspo…
http://www.adoptasheltie.com/

Adoptable Dogs

PANAMA CITY FL: URGENT ADOPTER or RESCUE HOLD needed – Due Out Date is immediate due to injuries. Pls share, thanks!!
ID# A030140
2-3-yr old neutered Dobie
been hit by a car and poss. has pelvic injuries.
CONTACT INFO TRACY 850-819-8673 OR 850-767-3333 or shelter@baycountyfl.gov
Bay County Animal Control
9 Harrison Avenue, Panama City, FL

UPDATE – His Adoption or Rescue Pull fee has been sponsored!

animalnewsinfo.posterous.com – animalnewsinfo.posterous.com

Mississippi Seizure – 280+ Animals need rescue, foster, adoption

Panhandle Animal Welfare Society in Ft. Walton Beach, Florida is in dire need of some help placing animals. We have been contacted by HSUS about a seizure in Mississippi of over 280 animals; 80+ being cats.

We are in desperate need of helping place the animals. We just do not have room here. We are not asking anyone to commit to taking, but at least coming to look at them.

If you have any contacts or know anyone who could help PLEASE forward our info to them!

Contact:

Panhandle Animal Welfare Society
Ft. Walton Beach, Florida
Phone: 850-243-1525

Stephanie Hazlett
Cell: 850-865-1126
Shzlett  @ yahoo . com (remove spaces)

NO KILL QUOTE OF THE DAY… Whether we realize it or not, whether we appreciate it or not, whether we believe it or not, as society marches toward greater compassion for our four legged companions, No Kill’s conquest of the status quo is inevitable. But how soon we reach that goal is up to us. If we remain silent at this moment, we are missing the opportunity to speed that process along. Our silence, therefore, has a body count. The price to be paid for our refusal to seize this opportunity will be the lives of millions of dogs and cats needlessly killed in shelters next year. And the year after that. And the year after that…. No Kill Advocacy Center, Nathan Winograd

If you have room in your heart there is always room for just one more pet (permanent of foster)

Please part of the solution~

Posted:  Just One More Pet

Do You Know The Real PETA & Humane Society of the United States

The editorial below indicates the real purpose of the two organizations leading the march toward domestic pet extinction.

Do You Know The Real PETA & Humane Society of the United States

By Frank Neudecker

An Editorial By Alice Fix

You will not often see negative articles in our newsletters, but every now and again we are forced to make a stand, and to speak out about what we know is for the better good for all involved. This is one such instance. We can no longer stand back and watch to see what will happen. I think that it is past time to publicly expose the real agenda of the Humane Society of the United States (HSUS) and their cohorts in crime, People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA), and the animal rights agenda.

For many years we have all enjoyed the companionship of our dogs and other animals. We have been busy playing with them, taking care of them, finding fun things that we could do with them, and generally just having a great time with all the animals that live in our houses. While we have been enjoying the love and fun that our animals provide to us, there have been groups out there organizing on a grand scale trying to get our rights to own those animals taken away. Yes, that is exactly what I meant. Make no mistake about it. These people have organized on a large scale to infiltrate many major city councils and governments in the country to spread their propaganda. Their agenda is easily defined and simple. Their main objective is to take away your right to own animals. They do not want you to have the companionship of any animal, whether that is a dog, cat, horse, mouse, frog, fish or any other animal that you can think of. They are pooling their resources to get this accomplished, and have millions of dollars in their war chest for this effort.

This is a statement made by Ingrid Newkirk, the President of PETA: “I don’t use the word ‘pet.’ I think it’s speciesist language. I prefer ‘companion animal.’ For one thing, we would no longer allow breeding. People could not create different breeds. There would be no pet shops. If people had companion animals in their homes, those animals would have to be refugees from the animal shelters and the streets. You would have a protective relationship with them just as you would with an orphaned child. But as the surplus of cats and dogs (artificially engineered by centuries of forced breeding) declined, eventually companion animals would be phased out, and we would return to a more symbiotic relationship – enjoyment at a distance.” – The Harper’s Forum Book, Jack Hitt, ed., 1989, p.223.

It is interesting that Ms. Newkirk used the word “speciesist”. Allwords.com defines that word as follows:

1. The discrimination against, and exploitation of, animals by humans in the belief that humans are superior to all other species of animals and can therefore justify putting them to their own use.

One of the animal rights mantras is that all animals are created to be equal to all humans, and should have the same rights as humans. Just in case it still isn’t clear to you what their agenda is, here are a few more quotes from Ingrid Newkirk:

“One day, we would like an end to pet shops and the breeding of animals. [Dogs] would pursue their natural lives in the wild … they would have full lives, not wasting at home for someone to come home in the evening and pet them and then sit there and watch TV.”- the Chicago Daily Herald, 3/1/90

“In the end, I think it would be lovely if we stopped this whole notion of pets altogether.” – Newsday, 2/21/88

Who is Ingrid Newkirk, and why should we care what she has to say about anything? In the 1970s, Newkirk worked for Montgomery County ( Maryland), and then for the District of Columbia, as an animal protection officer and deputy sheriff, before becoming DC’s first female Poundmaster in 1978. She co-founded PETA in 1980 with established animal-rights activist Alex Pacheco. (1) PETA stands for People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals, but in my opinion, there is nothing ethical in what they do.

Ms. Newkirk has very close ties with several groups identified by the FBI as known terrorists groups, such as Animal Liberation Front (ALF). The animal rights groups are very well organized, and when you check closely, you will see many of the same names sitting on the boards of these radical groups. They are intertwined and closely linked through their finances, and the work that they do.

PETA operates on an annual budget of $ 29,000,000. Most of this is from donations made by ordinary citizens that don’t know the real work of PETA. Many people think that they are out to save the lives of animals after seeing all of their ads on TV and in the newspapers. That is why millions are donated to them each year.

In Virginia, the home state of PETA, in 2004, PETA adopted out 361 animals, and euthanized 2,278, according to their records. (2)Those figures aren’t good. That means that they euthanized 86.3% of their animals and only adopted out 13.7%. These figures come directly from PETA’s Annual Report and from their 2004 Tax Return. It doesn’t seem like they used that $29 million for the betterment of the majority of the animals that they came in contact with. So where is the money going? It is being spent for publicity to raise more money for one thing. It is also being used for legislative purposes. They have placed key people in city governments all over the country to try to influence legislation to take your pet ownership rights away. And they are having a lot of success with it.

You need to understand the basic difference between the “animal welfare” groups and “animal rights” groups. Although the names might sound like they have the same objectives, there is a big difference. Animal welfare groups are working to see that all animals are treated humanely. Animal rights groups are working to see that all ownership of animals comes to an end.

As I said, PETA has close ties with many other organizations. One of those organizations is the Humane Society of the United States (HSUS). People donate millions to the HSUS each year, thinking that their money is going to save the lives of millions of animals. Nothing could be further from the truth. The HSUS does not own a single animal shelter anywhere in the country. Although many shelters have the words Humane Society in their names, they are not associated in any way with the HSUS. The HSUS does not sponsor any spay or neuter clinic anywhere in the country. They do donate a very small percent of the annual budget to a few local humane societies, around $2 million annually, which just happens to be less than the amount that they spend in travel each year. Their major money is sent on fund raising and legislative activity. In 2005 they spent $28 million for public mailings, $6 million in vegan education, $10 million in legislative campaigns and litigation. Their income for that year was close to $125 million.

This is an interesting quote from Wayne Pacelle: “We have no ethical obligation to preserve the different breeds of livestock produced through selective breeding …One generation and out. We have no problems with the extinction of domestic animals. They are creations of human selective breeding.” -Animal People News (May 1, 1993) (3) When you combine other statements that he has made, with the above statement, in my opinion the meaning of this statement is that if we could spay and neuter all animals, we could eliminate pet ownership within one generation. “One generation and out” would mean to me that they are gone and are eliminated in only one generation.

Quietly sitting back and maybe not being aware, we are now allowing the HSUS to make presentations at our local schools, with the definite purpose to educate our children about how bad pet ownership is, to indoctrinate children to the thought that animals should be free and not kept as pets. They are doing this in the same way that they have infiltrated city councils and local governments all across the country, quietly and matter-of-factly.

“Shortly after taking office, Pacelle announced a merger with the Fund For Animals which have assets of over $20 million, and the Doris Day Animal League. The combined group estimated its 2005 budget at “over $95 million” and also announced the formation of a new “political organization,” which will “allow for a more substantial investment of resources in political and lobbying activities.” (4) So that is where we find ourselves today. With the HSUS and PETA combined annual budgets of over $124 million for political and lobbying efforts to take away our rights to own animals. And that figure does not include the many splinter organizations that have been formed from these two major organizations. We are in an uphill battle now, and it will be the fight of our lives to keep our rights to own pets.

They are going at it from many different angles. One way is to get Breed Specific Legislation (BSL) passed. The banning of Pit-Bulls all over the country is a good example. That has caught on like wildfires. The animal rights groups have said if they can just get one breed banned, then it will be easy to add others to it at a later date, until eventually all breeds are banned. Another way that they are going about it is to have a mandatory spay and neuter law in place. Just think about it, if all domestic animals are spayed and neutered, when they die, there will be no more domestic animals. Those same words have been said by Wayne Pacelle, the President of the HSUS. They have a very well thought out and planned agenda, and they are counting on the ignorance of the American people to get their agenda accomplished. Well guess what: Ignorance can be overcome by education. The American people may be ignorant about the facts, but they are not stupid. They can be educated. We were ignorant before 9-11, and look what effect that had. It caused all Americans to become educated and unite and fight to prevent that from happening again. The difference here is that we are being attacked from within our own country. We are under strong attack by the animal rights groups, and I hope that we don’t just stand by and allow it to happen.

The animal rights groups are publicly stating that we need to get laws passed so that they can close down all the puppy mills and commercial breeding facilities that have their animals living in inhumane conditions. Just about everyone would agree with the idea that animals should be treated humanely. But that is just the vehicle that they are using to try to do away with all animal ownership, period. And that is not a statement that they are being all that public about.

You can become active in this fight by telling your friends and neighbors what is going on. You can be an instrument of education. You can also fight this kind of legislation when it is presented in your area. Go to the City Council meetings and make your voice heard. Write letters to the state and federal government officials to offer your services to be on any animal related committee. In short get the word out to any and all of your friends that own pets. Let them know what is going on. If enough people stop funding the animal rights organizations, we can put them out of business. There is not much that they can do without operating funds.

The next time you think about making a donation to any of these organizations, you had better think long and hard about whether you really want your money being spent to take away your rights.

PETA
HUMANE SOCIETY OF THE UNITED STATES
FARM SANCTUARY
FUND FOR ANIMALS
DORIS DAY ANIMAL LEAGUE
EARTH SAVE
GREEN PEACE
PHYSICIANS COMMITTEE FOR RESPONSIBLE MEDICINE
ANIMAL LIBERATION FRONT (ALF)
FRIENDS OF ANIMALS
IN DEFENSE OF ANIMALS

Right now the HSUS has started their “First Strike Campaign”. I find that an interesting choice of names. At visualthesaurus.com they define first strike as follows:

First Strike: An attack that is intended to seize or inflict damage on or destroy an objective.

Most people think that attack is on inhumane treatment of animals. They still don’t know it is an attack to take your animals away from you. Last year over 10 million people donated money to the HSUS because of their massive spending on advertising. Most of those 10 million people had no idea what their money was actually going to support.

Better places to donate your money that will fight for your rights to own animals are listed below. These groups are working hard to protect your right to own animals, and to expose the true agenda to much of the animal legislation going on all over the country.

NATIONAL ANIMAL INTEREST ALLIANCE
www.naiaonline.org

SPORTSMEN’S AND ANIMAL OWNERS’ VOTING ALLIANCE
www.saova.org

AMERICAN DOG OWNERS ASSOCIATION
www.adoa.org

U S SPORTSMAN ALLIANCE
www.ussportsmen.org

YOU CAN EITHER MAKE YOUR DONATIONS WORK FOR YOU OR AGAINST YOU. THAT DECISION IS YOURS TO MAKE!

Footnotes for Reference:

1) http://www.activistcash.com/biography.cfm/bid/456

2) www.nokillnow.comPetaDVACreporting.pdf

3) http://www.animalscam.com/quotes.cfm

4) http://www.activistcash.com/organization_overview.cfm/oid/136

This article will first appear in the March, 2007 issue (Volume V Issue 2) of the Rocky Mountain Wrinkle, the newsletter of the Centennial Chinese Shar-Pei Club, Inc. Any reference to this article must give full credit to Rocky Mountain Wrinkle, and the Centennial Chinese Shar-Pei Club, Inc. www.centennialsharpeiclub.org

Permission must be granted to use any articles from our newsletters, and we must get a credit line for any article that is granted permission to use, with a link to our website. Anyone wishing to reprint any of our articles should contact Alice for written permission.

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We should all me moving toward a complete no kill philosophy.  We should be setting up networks to foster pets and facilities to house all animals and pets until they find a new home.  We should also be changing the laws restricting the number of pets people can own from only one or two, in some city areas, to a more reasonable and animal friendly number and we should be toughening the abuse laws and sentences against animals.

Fight for your rights and for what is right for pets and all animals.

Declaration of the No Kill Movement of the United States

Posted:  Just One More Pet

Honest Definitions of No-Kill

Honest Definitions of No-Kill for Pets

The No-Kill Advocacy Center – Some shelters have adopted the rhetoric but not the programs of No-Kill. As a result, they are using “temperament testing” to deem dogs unadoptable and make their statistics look better.
Read more >>

The MaxFund – is a true no-kill shelter. There is no pre-sorting of animals into “adoptable” and “non-adoptable” categories, discarding the so-called “unadoptable.” The MaxFund takes every animal it has the space for.
Read more >>

Animal People News – The no-kill concept had already won the battle for public opinion decades before no-kill sheltering existed on any significant scale. Dogcatchers were a familiar film villain even before animated cartoons and “talking pictures” were invented.
Read more >>

Best Friends Society – There has often been a certain tension between traditional humane societies that are involved in euthanizing the animals they receive into their care, and the growing no-kill movement.
Read more >>

Maddie’s Fund – The history of no-kill goes back more than half a century when independent caregivers began rescuing and sheltering homeless animals with the intention of keeping them alive. This was in reaction to the standard operating procedure of most humane societies and tax-supported animal control services that killed stray and abandoned animals.
Read more >>

Richard Avanzino – Richard Avanzino has had a major influence on the nation’s animal welfare movement. As president of the San Francisco SPCA from 1976 to 1999, Avanzino led San Francisco to become the first (1994) city and county in the nation to offer an adoption guarantee for every healthy shelter cat and dog. The vast majority of the city’s sick and injured shelter animals were saved as well. In 1998, Avanzino revolutionized animal sheltering with the opening of Maddie’s Pet Adoption Center, the first facility in the country in which cats and dogs awaiting adoption were housed in cozy home-like settings rather than cages.
Read more >>

At the opposite end of the range is Monterey County Animal Control in California, who expands the term ‘unadoptable” to any animal it fails to find a home for! “The way the law reads is you can euthanize any unadoptable animal, but it also allows each shelter to come up with its own definition of ”unadoptable.” We are going to define ”unadoptable” animals as animals that are not going to a home.”  Many would disagree with this extraordinary interpretation which ignores state law and begs for a legal challenge by shelter reformists.
Read more >>

Tails A Waggin – Many shelters are classified as ‘no-kill’ and this has been a controversial term ever since shelters were created. It divides people and has become the center of many debates. Many believe that this cannot be practiced humanely. Tails a’ Waggin is a ‘no-kill’ shelter. We follow the following criteria to meet this classification:
* We never kill an animal, except for a humane reason such as pain and suffering. We will do everything possible to treat the animal and try to save the animal regardless of expense.
* We will never transfer an animal to another shelter or facility that euthanizes animals for any other reason than those mentioned above.
Read more >>

Wikipedia – No-kill Shelters are a type of animal shelter with an anti-euthanasia policy for the animals they house. The most widely accepted definition of a no-kill shelter is a place where all adoptable and treatable animals are saved and where only unadoptable or non-rehabilitatable animals are euthanized. Humane societies and SPCAs often euthanize pets because they cannot find homes for them. In 1994, the City of San Francisco originated the current trend towards “No Kill” shelters. The San Francisco SPCA guaranteed a home to every healthy dog and cat who entered the shelter system. However, the San Francisco Department of Animal Care and Control euthanizes many dogs and cats. In 2001, Tompkins County, New York became the second community in the nation to adopt this policy. And in 2002, Tompkins County went one step further by saving 100% of sick and injured treatable animals and 100% of feral cats. It repeated this in 2003, becoming the community with the lowest per capita euthanasia rate in the United States. Nathan J. Winograd is the former Executive Director of the Tompkins County SPCA and Director of Operations for the San Francisco SPCA. He has created successful No Kill programs in both urban and rural communities, and his organization, No Kill Solutions is often hired to help communities transition to No Kill. Italy outlaws the euthanasia of healthy companion animals and controls stray populations through trap, neuter and release programs (TNR).
Read more >>

No-Kill Animal Association, Lethbridge – The current band-aid solution to overpopulation is that many “excess” pets are killed. More “upstream” measures, such as mandatory sterilization, are not in place to control the burgeoning companion animal population. A question of morals and responsibility: Is killing the most humane and responsible way to control the pet population?
Read more >>

Alley Cat Allies – Are you looking for the most humane, cost-effective solution to the endless numbers of feral cats brought into your facility? Trap-Neuter-Return (TNR) is the only way to effectively bring down the numbers of feral cats in your community, in both the short-and long-term.
Read more >>

Animal Ark – What no kill really means. In her article, Ms. Dixon writes that “Many people don’t realize that ‘no-kill’ does not mean ‘no-euthanasia’.” In writing this, Ms. Dixon seems to confuse the act of killing for convenience (“killing”) and humanely ending the life of a terminally ill pet (“euthanasia”). In my experience, any responsible “no-kill” organization believes in the later and not the former. It probably shouldn’t have to be said, but it is important for animal shelters to understand the difference between those two things. Dixon suggests that the only way for an animal shelter to help an animal is to take it in. But, in many cases, what an animal needs may not be available at an animal shelter. Feral cats are a great example.
Read more >>

Declaration of the No Kill Movement in the United States – No Kill sheltering models, based on innovative, non-lethal programs and services, have already saved the lives of tens of thousands of animals. But instead of embracing No Kill, many shelters—and their national agency allies—cling to their failed models of the past, models that result in the killing of millions of dogs and cats in U.S. shelters every year.
Read more >>

Dr Craig Bestrup – First, there’s a basic discrepancy between the words and the actions of a “full service” shelter. Animal welfarists commonly speak of the preciousness – the intrinsic value – of animals’ lives. Yet their shelters are the place where healthy animals are daily killed, and people bring animals there knowing this. This leads to diminished credibility and effectiveness in the shelters’ education programs.
Read more >>

Source: No-Kill Bill BC

Very sad – RIP

Okay, vet said might be good idea to attach a ‘dog play pen’ to Baby Bums crate and keep him in it when I am not home.  He mentioned a ‘large large playpen’.  So being the type of person who researches everything, I did a google search and wound up on a dog rescue site in Ireland.  Since I was there, I poked around to see what was going on in dog rescue.  Apparently about 16,000 dogs are euthanized a year, and this group rescues from pounds.  So I looked at available dogs, then at dogs that were found homes, then, at RIP.

This was the dogs that did not make it – some were so damaged they passed because of their illness, but and this brought the tears flowing – there were pix of little pups,  large male Rottie, border collie cross, and so on and so on…these were the dollies that were not rescued.  It would tell about the dog like ‘Large Male Rottie, one year old’ and then say “RIP Max”.

Wow, did the tears flow for those dogs….now why don’t we do that in the States to show people what happens to the unwanted dogs and cats?  I wonder if people would care if they could see a photo of Max the Rottie of Teacup the Kittie with the words RIP next to their profile.  Would those people who breed for the heck of it even care?   Probably not, gotta show the kiddos how life begins.  Or, as an ad in my paper said this morning (ad for a pet store) “get your honey a pup”.

So very sad…we are indeed a disposable society – the elderly, the kids, the dogs, the cats, and on and on…..I always say it helps if we rescue just one, but this really hit me like a ton of bricks.

Had to share with my animal loving group, not to get you down, but just to share the enormity of this subject.

Carol

Comments:

WillyNilly: Long LONG ago when my son Dave was a stupid kid–he had unpaid traffic violations and the county wanted WORK weekends from him—little smart aleck said NO PROBLEM  well they sent him to Orange County Animal Control to stack the BODIES…he came home SOBBING and said I’ll clean out the toilets at the beaches —MOM–I can’t go back!!! and that is exactly what he did—a VERY NASTY JOB—but far better then the one day he experienced.

AZ Rebel: I used to go absolutely ballistic when families would come to adopt from my rescue and were upset that ALL the animals were spayed/neutered or if too young the adopters had to sign a contract that specifying they would be spayed/neutered when old enough.  Since I took 5 at a time to Best Friends in Kanab to the clinic, I made sure all of them got fixed – if there was a person who refused, then I got the law, showed them a copy of the signed contract and we took the animal back into rescue.  And, no – the adopter did not get the adoption fee returned.

One father said “We want our children to see the miracle of birth” and I totally lost it.  I replied, “Why not take your kids to the shelter on ‘kill day’ and let them see all the puppies and kittens and dogs and cats that have to be killed since there are not enough homes for them?’  Then I none-too-politely asked them to leave and NOT COME BACK until they did some research to see how many animals are killed daily in the shelters.

Some people are so darned ignorant that being nice and explaining how many animals are “put to sleep”, “euthanized” does not get through their thick heads.  The word is KILLED!  No sugar-coating can make it any different for the shelter animals.

Thank you so much for this sad post.  It is good to be reminded that we are not doing enough to save enough!!

MA:  It really is time for things to change.

One of the things that makes me furious is communities who restrict to one or even two pets for no reason. Nobody condones hording and I can understand communities where people are allowed no pets for people who really don’t like or want animals (or kids).  But if you can have one… you should able to have 2 or 3 or even 4.

I think fighting those ridiculous ordinances is a good place to start.  In Leisure World, near where I live, they have restricted people to a total of one cat or dog… period.  Why?  Old people generally love pets and need the company and not too long after they changed their rules a read an article in the local throw about an elderly woman in LW who had promised her friend that she would take her dog, if she should pass before him.  But because of this ordinance, the woman had to move, and rent her place, to keep her promise because she already had a dog herself.  Most people would not do that and more than likely her friend’s older dog would have been euthanized.

Animals lovers should all be encouraged to adopt just one… not be legislated out of helping a friend or saving a pets life.

I think the idea of showing some of the results of our irresponsibility and the horror of places like the OC animal shelter is a great idea because it might wake some people up!!  No healthy pet should ever be put to sleep in my opinion.  We need to take care of them, just like we need to take care of seniors… as long as they can be live and kids.  I used to work at the children’s facility near that OC shelter and we don’t so such good for them either in far too many instances!!

Havyn:  I’m always torn between wanting to know about such things and not being able to stand it. I lose sleep over abuse and mistreatment stories & realize there’s little I can do to help. I did join a website called www.dogsindanger.com that gives info. and updates on dogs scheduled to be euthanized – in the hopes that seeing how close some of them are – people will be encouraged to adopt them. Apparently it’s worked out quite well, and helped to save many.

I appreciate your post – I wish I didn’t hide my head in the sand as much as I do.

Source: AARP Pet Blog

Related Posts:

Declaration of the No Kill Movement of the United States

Ditch Your Dog To Save The Planet:  I Think Not!!

The No Kill Movement