Adopting A Senior Pet Has Many Advantage For Families and Seniors

When Kathy Simko brought home her newly adopted dog, a 9-year-old Chesapeake Bay retriever named “Maggie,” she quickly discovered that her canine companion was full of pleasant surprises

“I asked my sister if she thought Maggie might enjoy going for a walk,” Simko recalls. “As soon as I said it, Maggie jumped up and began wagging her tail. She pranced across the kitchen, picked up her leash in her mouth and brought it to me. Not only did she love going for walks, but I found out she was perfectly leash trained. In fact, she was wonderfully trained in just about every way.” 

Many older dogs and cats are full of pleasant surprises like Maggie.They’re mature, well-mannered and eager to spend time around people. Those are but a few of the reasons why pet experts say a mature dog or cat is the ideal match for the person or family who craves companionship, but doesn’t have the time, energy or financial resources that a puppy or kitten requires. 

Behavior & Training   

The popular phrase “what you see is what you get” rings true for mature mutts and calm cats.  Their new Pet Parents know in advance how they get along with other pets and small children, not to mention whether they enjoy getting a bath, riding in the car and how they behave at the veterinarian’s office or groomer.  Because puppies and kittens don’t reach maturity until they’re about a year old (even 2 years in the case of some dog breeds), it can be difficult to predict how they’ll ultimately react to different stimuli or situations.  

“Older animals are fully grown and their true personalities are apparent,” says Ellen Clark, operations director for the Wisconsin Humane Society.  “There are few surprises with an older pet.”  

Even better, many older dogs and cats have already been housetrained and they’re beyond the destructive chewing and scratching stages, Clark says. As a result, their Pet Parents don’t need to invest in training classes, chew toys or puppy pads. Older dogs and cats also enjoy a good night’s sleep just as much as their Pet Parents. Unlike puppies and kittens, they don’t need comforting or a potty break at 3 a.m.  

“And, you can teach an old dog new tricks if you need to,” Clarksays. “They’re often easier to train because they are mellow and they can focus on you. They learn quickly.”  

Age-Appropriate   

Mature pets are a good choice for people young and old. Families with small children are wise to consider getting a grown dog or cat who’s already lived in a home with kids and is accustomed to a child’s running, squealing and rambunctious play. Some puppies and kittens are frightened by children and could react with aggressive behavior, such as nipping or scratching.  Puppies especially can become over-stimulated when playing with children and might accidentally bite or scratch. And, kittens and puppies have sharper claws and teeth which can result in a more serious injury.  

At the same time, research suggests that pets can improve senior citizens’ physical and emotional health. Older dogs that don’t need long walks or strenuous exercise and calm cats who prefer a quiet household, are a perfect match for older Pet Parents.  

Medical Matters  

Aprille Hollis, public information officer for Maricopa County Animal Control (MCACC) in Phoenix, says that some adopters shy away from mature dogs and cats because they wrongly assume that older pets will develop health problems.  

“A puppy or kitten can get sick or suffer medical problems just as easily as an older dog or cat.  Any pet can get sick or hurt at any age,” she says.  

Instead, Pet Parents are likely to discover that many of their new companion’s veterinary needs have already been taken care of by the previous owner or, in the case of shelter pets, by a shelter veterinarian.  For example, many older dogs and cats have already been spayed or neutered.  They’ve also already received the first series of vaccinations necessary to protect them from deadly diseases, such as parvovirus and distemper in dogs and feline leukemia in cats.  That means they’ll need only annual booster shots to stay healthy.  

Fewer Fees … or Free!  

Because older dogs and cats are more difficult to place than kittens and puppies, many shelters across the country reduce or waive their adoption fees. It’s not uncommon to see adoption fees for pets older than 5 or 6 years of age reduced by 25 to 50 percent vs. younger dogs, cats, kittens and puppies.  

“Our adoption fee for dogs and cats aged 5 years and older can be considerably lower because it’s harder to find homes for these pets.Everyone wants the puppies and kittens,” says MCACC’s Hollis. “For example, our puppies can range from $100 to $150, while the fee for an older can be $65.”  

At WHS, Clark adds, there is no fee to adopt a cat aged 1 year and older (adopters are still carefully pre-screened to ensure a safe and responsible match).  

“The cats are already spayed or neutered, fully vaccinated and implanted with an identification microchip,” she says.  “We found that our kittens are adopted very quickly, and by not charging a fee for the older cats, we can find them ‘forever homes’ much more quickly too.”   

Finding an Older Pet 

If getting an older pet makes sense, here are a few options for finding one: 

Check newspaper and Internet classified ads. You’ll find scores of family pets for sale or even “free to good home.”   

Looking for a particular breed of pet? Consult a breed-specific rescue organization. Many breed-rescue groups utilize a network of volunteer foster-care providers to care for homeless animals until they find a permanent home. 

Visit your local humane society or animal control facility. An estimated 6 to 8 million dogs and cats end up in U.S. shelters every year, but only half of them find homes. Many shelters now have links on their web sites so prospective adopters can see pictures of available pets before driving to the shelter. 

Looking to adopt an older pet? See pets for adoption in your zip code at adoptions.petsmart.com

Written by: Kimberly Noetzel / PetSmart Charities

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Quality Time With Your Companion Animal

Once again, a new school year has begun. With busier school and activity schedules, it’s also the time when pet parents may find themselves with less time to spend with their companion animals. Here are some easy tips for making the most of the time that you do have:

Set aside a few minutes in the morning to groom your dog or cat. While brushing or combing, talk about your upcoming day. If your pets don’t enjoy grooming, then just spend a few minutes petting them. Whatever your daily morning interaction, try to do it at the same time and in the same place. Your companion will find comfort in the regimen – and so will you!

If you have a dog, do something that he or she will enjoy after you return home from work, like a game of catch, hide-and-seek, or take a long walk. If you have cats, we recommend using fishing poles with dangling feathers – your cat will love the chase!

Incorporate teeth cleaning, ear cleaning and/or nail trimming into your new routine. Too often, these health necessities are viewed begrudgingly as chores. Commit to making this time as pleasurable as possible, like time at the spa. 

Massage is a wonderful way to connect with your companion animals. Check out one of the many pet massage books currently on the market to help you develop a technique. There is even evidence to suggest that massage can improve your pet’s health, and it will relax you, too.

Just remember – spending quality time with your companion animal can bring about dramatic changes in temperament, improving the bond you share with your pet and your overall quality of life.

Source:  Healthy Pet Net

Meet the 2008 ASPCA Dog of the Year

Meet the 2008 ASPCA Dog of the Year Ten-year-old Cole Massie of Los Angeles, CA, may live with cerebral palsy, but he has all the support a kid could want, thanks to a very special black Lab/golden retriever mix named Ilia.

Recently crowned ASPCA Dog of the Year as part of the 2008 Humane Awards program, Ilia performs service duties like bringing items to Cole in his wheelchair and opening and closing doors. But the pooch also has that special healing touch that can’t be taught. “He provides amazing incentive to Cole during therapies, doctor’s appointments and procedures,” says Cole’s mom, Michelle Massie. “He calms, inspires and motivates my son far better than anyone ever has.”

Or, as Cole sums it up: “I like when he lies next to me in bed at night and we listen to Harry Potter on CD, and that he helps to clean me when I’m in the bath by licking my face and arms. He’s my furry brother and best friend—and a serious bed hog!

This past July, three years after boy and dog were paired by the nonprofit Canine Companions for Independence, Cole was faced with a difficult, but life-changing surgery. “He had walked on his toes, and his feet were totally rolled in,” says Massie. “The operation would allow him to use his feet and free him of the wheelchair.” “Cole was frightened by the idea of surgery at first,” remembers Massie. “We explained how much more independent he’d be afterward, but he wasn’t buying it. Finally, we told him that if he had this procedure, there was a very good chance he’d be able to walk Ilia on his own—with no parents and no walker.” After that, says Massie,

“Cole would stroke the dog’s head in bed each night and whisper, ‘I will walk you, Ilia. I will walk you.'” After much coaxing, Cole underwent the surgery in Summit, NJ, and Ilia traveled more than 7,000 miles to be by the boy’s side.

The ten-year-old is now on his way to becoming an independent walker—and his dedicated service dog will be with him every step. The entire family will attend the ASPCA Humane Awards Luncheon in New York City this October 30, where Ilia will be honored along with seven other extraordinary animals and people.

P.S. We’d like to remind you, pet lovers, that even heroes have their quirks. As Massie reveals, “Ilia knows 46 commands, but he won’t fetch!”

Shock Collars, Crate Training, And Needing To Control

Sharing a comment left on one of the pet sites I/we belong to…

Putting a shock collar on a dog is THE MOST OFFENSIVE, NASTY, HORRIBLE thing you can do to your ‘best friend’, or, as I think of my dogs, your child.  I am ashamed to say, that in trying to make my second marriage work, I let my ex put shock collars on my dogs to keep them off the sofa and loveseat.  It will haunt me for the rest of my life. 

My older dog, Joey, is very intellegent.  The first shock from the collar and he knew……..stay away from the living room furniture.  My younger Lab mix is not exceptionally smart…….has a HUGE heart and is loving and loyal, happy and exuberant, and is the most compassionate dog I have ever had.  She did not understand the shock collar.  She freeked out.  Cut her head on the glass coffee table and learned only after SEVERAL shocks that the furniture was off limits. 

Today, the sofa is THEIRS.  I get the recliner……because the sofa is always ‘full’ of my ‘sofa loafers’.  The ex went the way of the garbage… OUT ON THE STREET, where he belongs.   Shortly after I kicked the ‘dog hater’ to the curb, my son tested the shock collar on his arm………………….needless to say, he was suprised to find out that it’s not just a ‘little zap’……..IT HURTS………ALOT!!!  If you EVER think that this device is not a painful, torturing, frightening training device you are wrong…………don’t ever do it.  Your conscious wil come back to haunt you.

And I don’t feel much different about locking your dog in a cage either.  These creatures are your best friends.   Is this how you would want to be treated??  Perhaps it is time to watch the origianl Planet of the Apes, again?!?

So what if your house or yard isn’t perfect?  So what if your dog barks a bit.  So what if you have to clean up some messes and do a few repairs.  That is what parenting is all about.   And in general, they will actually be better if you don’t cofine them and shock them, but instead smother them with love!!

These ideas and methods like shock collars, crate training, etc etc were created by people, who probably shouldn’t have pets, for their own convenience or ease or because they live in areas not friendly to pets and animals.  How would you like to be shocked when you tried to speak out of turn or express yourself or have to sit in a tiny cage all without being able to relieve yourself… so someone who supposedly loves you has it easier or doesn’t need to clean up a mess??  Think about it, isn’t being home all day alone, especially in an apartment or condo punishment enough??  And, a little mess is good for the soul!!  

Just because it is done… or someone calling themselves an expert says it is okay… doesn’t make it so!!!

Vote For Positive Change For California Farm Animals

California Animal Advocates,

When you go to the polls on November 4, don’t forget to vote in positive change for California’s farm animals! Proposition 2 is a landmark ballot initiative that combats some of the worst abuses in factory farming. If passed, it will end the practice of keeping veal calves, breeding pigs and laying hens in cages and crates so small that the animals cannot turn around.

This law will not only prevent cruelty to animals—it also will improve food safety and reduce the devastating environmental impact of factory farms.

What You Can Do
Please visit the ASPCA Advocacy Center to learn more about Proposition 2 and send a note to friends and family asking them to vote YES! on Prop 2.

Thank you for your support, California!

Here are two important ways you can get involved this week in the campaign to pass Prop 2:

	Tune in to the Ellen DeGeneres Show tomorrow, September 26th — I’ll be talking with Ellen about Proposition 2, and how it will help millions of farm animals in California and across the country. Click here to see when the show will air where you live.   And you can bet I’ll have my dancing shoes on…
	Watch our new video to hear straight from the, ahem, pig’s mouth about how you can help farm animals.   It’s a funny animation, with a tune I bet you’ll recognize, but don’t get me wrong — the heinous treatment of farm animals is no laughing matter. Watch this short movie, then be sure to share it with everyone you know.

Related posts:

• Don’t Let Them Get Away With This… Vote Yes on Prop 2
• Slaughter-bound Calf Falls onto Highway 99, Lands at Farm Sanctuary

Pet Parties – The Latest Craze

As the baby-boomers are taking the lead, in ever-growing numbers, as pet owners, so is pet spoiling and the ‘special pet events’ phenomenon. Baby-boomers, who are primarily empty-nesters are replacing their grown children with pets and spoiling those pets as they used to spoil their children.

Pet parties are one of the newest crazes; birthday and holiday parties with and for pets. They include activities and goodies for both the pets and their humans. Pet ‘birthday’ parties top the list, especially for dogs and then cat parties rank as a distant second. They vary from a group of pet owners and their pets going to lunch or dinner at a pet friendly restaurant to parties at the park or backyard house events. Pet-care facilities (doggy daycare sites and pet hotels) are another option to consider if you don’t have room for a home party.

As with Halloween… with pet ‘dress-up events’ or just having your pet at a conventional gathering or party, there are lots of factors to consider. Will the pets on the guest list get along? Are your human guests pet focused enough and willing to keep an eye on their pet as well as maintain a pet positive environment at the party for everyone, while still having a good time themselves? And is your pet the type who likes being around other animals and groups of people, or is this party really for you?

There are many restaurants that are pet friendly these days so will cordon off an area, as they do for kiddy parties, for your pet event; some even supply decorations and goodies.

But if you prefer to do it yourself and go all out, here are a few suggestions:

Indoor Party Activities:

• Pick a fun theme. Party favors and decorations are now available for most types of pet parties.

• Have each doggy (kitty, bird, monkey, pot bellied pig, etc) guest come in costume and have a mini-fashion show or have your guests and their humans come in matching costumes! Give prizes for best costume(s), funniest, most original, etc.

• Bring Kong type toys, one for each doggy guest, filled with cheese or peanut butter; catnip or tuna for the kitties.

• Have plenty of training treats, snacks and biscuits on hand and hold contests for best sit, stay, shake, roll over… (perhaps for most finicky for the felines?).

• Bring a good supply of rope toys for a doggy tug of war! You’ll find that sometimes the humans will participate as well.

• Paw mural painting can be done inside or out as long as you cover the floor well.

Outdoor Party Activities:

• A silly pet trick contest is a great event, indoors and out, but outside parties lend themselves to a greater variety of tricks. Give a prize for 1st, 2nd and 3rd or just for first prize and then give a treat to the others for participation.

• If you have mostly the same types (or breeds) of pets or groups that are the same sizes, dog (or piggy and kitty… if you can motivate them) races can be fun. (Dachshund or Chihuahua races are always funny.)

• Bring enough balls so there is at least one ball or Frisbee per doggy guest and play free-for-all fetch or wands with fake birds, small balls or catnip toys tied at the end for the cats.

• Agility equipment events like a tunnel for the dogs to race through is a good addition; make sure you have lots of training bits or other treats to offer them when they run through successfully!

• Water activities like swimming events in the pool for certain dog breeds during the warm season are possible activities to consider, or bobbing for biscuits using a small tub or kiddie pool with water and then tossing in some biscuits. Whoever gets them out the quickest wins!

• Also, if at the park, make sure you consider safety issues like portable fencing or stakes to attach leashes, so the dogs and their humans can relax for awhile.

Food:

• Make sure there is plenty of water – Provide separate bowls for each pet guest (possibly personalized for them to take home) filled with mineral, filtered or even Smart™ water.

• Order goodies from the local or online doggy (pet) bakeries and party suppliers, or better yet bake them yourself.

• Have an outdoor bar-b-que and fix a special dinner for both the pet guests and their humans with their own grilled boneless steaks or chicken for the doggies or tuna and salmon for the kitties!

• And of course, you must have a birthday cake! You can make it yourself or order one from a local or online pet bakery. A small slice of carrot cake or really any other cake as long as it doesn’t contain chocolate could be served to most pets as well their humans at a special occasion, but in most cases you will probably want a special one for the pets and one for their humans.

• There are also many human goodies (candy and baked goods) shaped like pets, bones, or pet articles that can add fun to the party.

• A goodie bag to take home filled with unique biscuits, doggy ice cream, dehydrated meats (dehydrated fish, a catnip toy, cat grass or grass seeds and gourmet cat desserts for the kitties), and a small pet safe toy, along with their personalized water bowl is a nice touch.

Make sure you label the food appropriately, especially at a buffet-style meal, to ensure that no people accidentally bite into a dog or cat treat or that the pets don’t get too many human treats!

Regardless of the style of the party or the range of food served, you will need to consider both the fun of all the party guests as well as the safety of the food you choose for the people and the dogs (cats or birds, etc) at the event. You might want to skip serving chocolate and onions completely, keep alcohol to a minimum and have a special (pet free) smoking area to keep the guest of honor and friends from eating the butts. Discussing allergies and safety matters of the pets, children and adults at the party in advance will prevent any surprises for the day of the party, as well, perhaps as part of the invitation RSVP request.

Kids have will have fun participating in the games and giving out treats to the winners, so include them if you have any children on your guest list. But be sure to consider supervision, and I would recommend limiting the number of children present. If you do have children or grandchildren at home, include them in the preparation and give them jobs and responsibilities at the party.

And finally, make sure you have a way of capturing all this fun on film! A volunteer photographer or videographer is great for memories and someone taking Polaroid’s for the costume contest, to send home with guests, is always a great touch!

Future articles will include throwing a ‘fancy’ doggy party and ‘pet’ party recipes. But for now, for those of you baking and making the party food on your own, here is a fun recipe for your human guests (and a small sliver, minus the Tootsie Rolls, won’t hurt the pets either):

FAMOUS KITTY LITTER CAKE

(Several variations of this recipe can be found online)

INGREDIENTS:

1 spice or German chocolate cake mix 
1 white cake mix 
2 large packages vanilla instant pudding mix, prepared 
1 large package vanilla sandwich cookies 
green food coloring 
12 small Tootsie Rolls

1 new kitty litter pan 
1 new plastic kitty litter pan liner 
1 new pooper scooper

DIRECTIONS:

Prepare cake mixes (or scratch cake) and bake according to directions (any size pans). 
Prepare pudding mix and chill until ready to assemble. 
Crumble white sandwich cookies in small batches in food processor, scraping often. Set aside all but about 1/4 cup. To the 1/4 cup cookie crumbs, add a few drops green food coloring and mix until completely colored.

When cakes are cooled to room temperature, crumble into a large bowl. Toss with half the remaining white cookie crumbs and the chilled pudding. Important: mix in just enough of the pudding to moisten it. You don’t want it too soggy. Combine gently.

Line a new, clean kitty litter box. Put the cake/pudding/cookie mixture into the litter box. 
Put three unwrapped Tootsie rolls in a microwave safe dish and heat until soft and pliable. Shape ends so they are no longer blunt, curving slightly. Repeat with 3 more Tootsie rolls bury them in the mixture. Sprinkle the other half of cookie crumbs over top. Scatter the green cookie crumbs lightly on top of everything — this is supposed to look like the chlorophyll in kitty litter.

Heat 3 Tootsie Rolls in the microwave until almost melted. Scrape them on top of the cake; sprinkle with cookie crumbs. Spread remaining Tootsie Rolls over the top; take one and heat until pliable, hang it over the side of the kitty litter box, sprinkling it lightly with cookie crumbs. Place the box on a newspaper and sprinkle a few of the cookie crumbs around for a truly disgusting effect!

Have a great party!

By:  Marion Algier/Ask Marion – Just One More Pet

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• For these moms, a dog-day afternoon
• The New Breed of Baker 

Dog Training – Train Your Dog From Barking

Barking is the most important way of communicating for a dog and is natural… like talking for humans.  Some say it is the essence of a dog.  Can you even imagine a dog that has lost its ability to bark?  But at times barking may be annoying and even unacceptable. So, sometimes you’d probably like to stop the barking completely, but that would be impossible and counter productive. What you want to do is to train away the useless barking.

Training your dog not to bark, however, is not a simple task since you are trying to control the inherent nature of the species. For this reason there is the need for a lot of perseverance and also patience on your part. But, if you have the sufficient grit, you will definitely succeed. But always keep in mind that there are several reasons that a dog may and even should bark. It may be hungry, jealous of another dog, have pointed out an interloper in your territory… or you or your dog may be in danger. If you can identify any such reason, you can solve the barking without any further delay. But if your dog continues to bark for no reason it is time for you to put fido in check and enforce the appropriate training techniques you’ve been working on.

Your first step should be to identify the breed of your dog and its strengths and weaknesses. It should be noted that dogs belonging to some particular breeds bark more than others and perhaps will need a little extra leeway.  (For this reason it is suggested, if possible, to research breeds before choosing a pet, especially if you are going to be living in an apartment, condo or restricted area.) And then the first step in the actual training process is for you to establish your own leadership as the alpha dog. Dogs, being wild animals who live in packs under the guardianship of a leader, by nature react to the supremacy of a leader that makes others surrender to him. It may be that your dog doesn’t see you as the leader or doesn’t trust you and is therefore barking. So, you will have to establish yourself as the leader to help stop this menace.  And if you have more than one dog, the pack phenomenon, will make the dynamics even more difficult.

You should also concentrate on your dog’s need for exercise and diversion. Try to take all measures possible to ensure your dog gets the exercise and diversion it needs on a regular basis. This is a proven way to keep the dogs under control.  Scarcity of exercise results in an increase of negative behaviors, of which barking is the most prominent and generally the biggest nuisance; chewing is probably the second.

Simply walking is not enough, especially for most large dogs and active breeds like greyhounds.  Knowing your breed is a huge factor in training and controlling your dog’s behavior. Regular walks, a chance to run of the leash, playing fetch or ball, and training will help in curbing your dogs need to bark.  Dog obedience training and precisely command training is a good activity for your dog. Command training helps challenge your dog. You should begin with the simplest commands that your dog can comprehend quickly, and be generous with rewards and praise.  Never conduct the command training for long periods; 15 minutes every day will be enough. And never forget to make the training sessions lively. 

A healthy diet, with some variety, is also an added plus to good behavior.

And if you have a dog that is cooped up all day with nobody home, the barking issue is on you.  Hire a dog walker, play music or the TV while you are gone… and learn to live with a little barking or chewing.

And if all fails, a professional dog training center remains your next option.

Killing Whales To Save Them??

Japanese scientists are worried that climate change is making whales skinnier. But they killed 4,500 whales to get the data, in defiance of international opinion. 

What do you think? Does the end justify the means? And is it good use of resources to butcher those whales and sell the meat?        

The Save the Whales movement has been fairly effective, but so-called “scientific” whale hunting by the Japanese has been the most hated loophole. Now we have some actual, useful scientific results, but at a very high cost. 

Some scientists have argued that the research results shouldn’t have been published, because it was unethical to collect the data through sham research that was thinly disguised commercial whale hunting. 

Whales have been the subject of heated debate for centuries, including a raging controversy in the early 1800’s over whether or not a whale is a fish. What seems like a biological question blew up over religious implications and lucrative taxes on fish products. 

Now will we see whales at the center of another culture clash, the global warming debate? For the sake of whales, I hope not.

Posted by Mark Powell

More Photos From The Beverly Hills Chihuahua Premier

   

Beverly Hills Chihuahua Movie Premier photos 

Photo by: Marion Algier – the UCLA Shutterbug

A Great Time Was Had By All!!

More Photos 

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Don’t let them get away with this… Yes on California Prop 2

They treat animals like units of production. They overcrowd them and put our food supply at risk. They pollute the land and water.

“They” are Big Agribusiness, and they have raised and allocated $10 million to defeat a landmark initiative in California that would ease the suffering of millions of animals now confined in tiny crates on factory farms and suffering terribly. It’s called Proposition 2, and New York Times columnist Nicholas Kristof called it “the most important election you’ve never heard of.” Indeed, because California is a trendsetter, this election has the potential to establish a better future for farm animals across the U.S.

Because of that, Big Agribusiness is investing millions in deceptive and false ads to disparage Prop 2.

The only thing that can stop them is you and me. We can match them ad for ad and tell our story to the people of California.

That’s why I am urging you to make a special gift today to the YES! on Prop 2 campaign.

If not you and me, then who will stand up to Big Agribusiness?

Just who are these underhanded foes of animals, who on a single day donated nearly $5 million to defeat Proposition 2? They’re Pilgrim’s Pride, chipping in $25,000, where a whistle-blower employee videotaped chickens being stomped and thrown against the wall. They are the United Egg Producers, adding $185,000 to the opposition’s pot, fined to settle false advertising complaints. They are Moark LLC, donating more than $504,000 against Prop 2, which paid $100,000 to settle criminal animal cruelty charges. They are Cal-Maine Foods, leading the pack with nearly $600,000 in campaign contributions, cited for spilling chicken parts and manure into waterways and killing tens of thousands of fish. The list goes on…

These are not the kind of farms we read about to our kids before bedtime. This line-up is straight off the crime blotter. Cruelty to animals. Threatening the safety of the food supply. Despoiling the environment. And deceiving consumers.

We need to raise $1 million by the end of the month as part of our offensive to counter their deception and dirty campaign tactics.

Please make an emergency gift right now to put television ads on the air to challenge every one of their claims. If just 5 percent of you who read this message make a gift of $20 — a symbolic amount to reduce the suffering of 20 million farm animals — we’d reach our $1 million goal today.

Without your help, we will not be able to counter the deceptive claims of an industry that insists on cramming animals into insufferably small cages and crates — to increase density, and thus profits.

The claims made by these companies reveal them for the shameless hucksters they are. Here is their wildly false assertion about Prop 2 straight from their published propaganda:

Undermines animal welfare and food safety in California.

Ha! Remember what the California factory farmers were doing recently for “animal welfare” and “food safety”? They were patting themselves on the back and accepting performance awards for providing healthy food to the National School Lunch Program. Then one of our undercover investigators went into a Southern California slaughter plant. He secretly filmed the torturing of animals — horrors like a fallen cow being smashed in the eyes with a blunt object and another downed cow with a water-hose shoved in her mouth to simulate drowning. He showed plant operators routinely risking the health of children to get these potentially ill “downer” cows on their feet so they could be herded into the processing line for the lunch program.

The industry tried to deny that any such things could happen. But videotape evidence exposed their deceptions and false assurances. The result? The largest meat recall in U.S. history.

The nation was horrified by the abuse of these cows, who were literally minutes away from being killed. If we are concerned about the downer cows — as we should be — then we must also be concerned about the animals suffering in cruel confinement day after day for months or years on factory farms. Here is this remarkable one-time chance to do something about their suffering.

For the sake of creatures who don’t have a voice in this watershed election, please join us in speaking out for them.

Make your emergency donation to the YES! on Prop 2 campaign today.

Wayne Pacelle
President & CEO
The Humane Society of the United States