Turkish Dogs - particularly Anatolian Shepherd Dogs

A little of everything in the above subject.

A few good articles that got my attention this week.
Thinking outside the box. Here's a read on that at Ishmael.org

After reading that; the concept of critical thinking and lucid comprehension of issues take focus again with the reader -- Yet, back to real life, we continue to witness the the most juvenile and fundamentalist/extreme thinking that is driving MSN proponents everywhere (mandatory spay & neuter). Including California's truly UNHealthy Pets Act. So focused on their own limited perception of reality that they do not see, for example, how this type of legislation adversely affects grassroots efforts at wildlife conservation, the production of food and natural fiber on the farm and issues of population genetics in our pets. Health issues in animals are simply written off as well with broad blanket assumptions, with these people blowing off the experts, as if they have degrees in veterinary science and realize the difference between long term prospective and short term retrospective data. Furthermore, these bills will NOT affect the popularly demonized, commercial mass pet producers, yet the MSN proponents continue to make disingenuous references in that direction. And the sheep continue to follow.

Somewhat related: Newsweek on PeTA and Euthanasia: http://www.newsweek.com/id/134549. Euthanization is actually the cop out of MSN proponents to address the shortcomings in their logic and both HSUS and PeTA encourage killing animals rather than rehoming them. Since they are so busy killing animals, analyzing the status of the problem as encouraged in the first link is simply beyond their acceptance. I highly recommend Nathan Winograd's book, Redemption - a good take on it is here. It does encourage facing the history and issues that have compounded the lack of progression on logical solutions.


Getting away from animals for a bit... and along the lines of perhaps encouraging a new way of thinking, see this article about some indigenous people of Mexico who "live forever", from which article I gained the idea that many of our modern foot and leg problems seen in our society could be benefited from taking some core ideas regarding letting our footwear be more natural, so that leg strength and flexibility are natural benefits.


And tonight, I just discovered a new blog which covers issues that affect everyone using the internet - see Spyware Sucks. I've found that many people continue ignore the serious implications of HTML in email - especially as malware gets more sophisticated and do not understand that surfing and reading web pages results in thousands of downloads to their computer. From another source, Scott Dunn writes about security, "Visitors to USAToday.com last Thursday got more than they bargained for. A hacked Flash advertisement meant that merely viewing a page in your browser was capable of triggering a malware attack on your PC. According to an alert on the security site Websense, the ad can take control of the browser without any user interaction at all."

I'm using Firefox as my principal browser with "NoScript" which stops scripts in their tracks and another extension "AdBlock" that blocks ads which can sometimes be malicious. The combination makes some busy pages download for reading quicker since I am not getting all that garbage and it makes pages look a little different too. For example, ubiquitous links such as 'google ads' just do not show up on my Firefox browsing. NoScript does allow me to choose which sites I trust as does AdBlock.

Labels: animal_control, Animal_Rights, compu-internet, crimeware, Firefox, No Kill, security

Have you read "Redemption: The Myth of Pet Overpopulation and the No Kill Revolution in America" yet?

The more you know, the better your understanding of WHY AB 1634 and similar legislation does not work.


The chat took place, Feb 1, 2008
The transcript is available now.
Thank you Rescue Network Org! (part of PetHobbyist.com)

Please go to the site to read the whole thing... :)

Nathan Winograd
Author of "Redemption: The Myth of Pet Overpopulation and the No Kill Revolution in America"
February 1, 2008 (chat)

PHKeeper: On behalf of Jeff Barringer and all of us at RescueNetwork.org, I sincerely wish to thank Nathan Winograd for being our part of our 10th annual Chat Week! Nathan Winograd's 2007 book "Redemption: The Myth of Pet Overpopulation and the No Kill Revolution in America" set off a firestorm of controversy -- and inspired an army of animal lovers across the country, calling for serious reform of the American shelter system and an end to the use of killing as a tool of animal population control.

Nathan is here this evening to help us understand exactly what the No Kill Revolution is and how you can look at groundspring efforts to reform your community into No Kill. If you have a question for Nathan, please type a "?" in the room. You will be called on in order. Please do not speak openly in the room. Do not private message the hosts or our guest. Nathan when you have completed your answer, please type GA so we know to Go Ahead. Ladies and Gentlemen, Boys and Girls, furkids of all ages, I present Nathan Winograd.

continued at the site---

Labels: animal_control, Animal_Rights, Critters, Rehome, Rescue

Short on time right now, short and sweet, just a few links...

L.A. City voted on mandatory spay and neuter (MSN) of 4 month old cats and dogs on Friday without any critical analysis or study.



And... Boks entered a little poll on his blog.

As of the time I did the poll screen capture at the left:

Votes - 621 (96%) votes against MSN.
24 (3%) votes in support.


Above,the progress the last time I looked at it, Monday morning.

Blue Dog State (blog) - doesn't mince words. !!oh mama!!

Don't miss:
A thousand snakes in the grass. By Margaret Anne Cleek

"Better the dragon you see than a thousand snakes in the grass."

I think more people are waking up.

See my other posts on Animal_control

Labels: animal_control

What is the Optimal age for spay and neuter of cats and dogs?

Dr Gail C. Golab, PhD, DVM, Director of the Animal Welfare Division of the American Veterinary Association and member of the Pet-Law forum, has secured free public access to the following PDF from the Journal of the American Veterinary Medical Association.

Citation
Journal of the American Veterinary Medical Association
December 1, 2007, Vol. 231, No. 11, Pages 1665-1675
doi: 10.2460/javma.231.11.1665

Determining the optimal age for gonadectomy of dogs and cats

Margaret V. Root Kustritz, DVM, PhD, DACT
Department of Veterinary Clinical Sciences, College of Veterinary Medicine, University of Minnesota, Saint Paul, MN 55108. (Kustritz)

If sharing the article with others, please direct them to the above link, to the PDF, rather than forwarding the document itself. This, in order to honor the American Veterinary Medical Association's Copyright.

Thanks!

Happy New Year to all!

Labels: animal_control

Animal Lovers are suing Los Angeles County Animal Control Department.

Ed Boks, major AB 1634 supporter is majorly screwing up in Los Angeles and he appears to know it. It's turning into a battle of twisty-turny, dizzifying rhetoric on his blog. Actually, everything Boks is doing is highlighting why AB 1634 cannot work, and furthermore, why it cannot work with a No Kill solution to shelter killings.

Don't miss the commentary at Gina Spadafori's Pet Connection Blog for better clarity of what is going on.

Read the quoted material posted below if you are not familiar with the issues involved. It will help you understand some of what is going on before you go to the Pet Connection.

About the law suit-

ANIMAL LOVERS SUE LOS ANGELES COUNTY ANIMAL CONTROL DEPARTMENT TO END THE UNLAWFUL AND ABUSIVE TREATMENT OF ANIMALS

This is Zephyr who came to the shelter healthy.
She is ill in the photo above.
She and many others died there.

The national No Kill Advocacy Center, Cathy Nguyen, a volunteer animal rescuer, and Rebecca Arvizu, a Los Angeles County taxpayer and animal rescuer, have jointly filed a lawsuit against Los Angeles County, its Department of Animal Care and Control, and the Department’s Director, Marcia Mayeda. The lawsuit alleges unlawful and abusive treatment of animals at all six Los Angeles County animal shelters.

Among the allegations in the 29-page complaint filed today in Superior Court, the County Department of Animal Care and Control routinely:

• Kills healthy and treatable animals before their state mandated holding period expires;
• Misclassifies animals as “ill” or “injured” in order to kill them before their holding period expires even though the animals are not irremediably suffering as required by state law;
• Kills lost animals without making reasonable attempts to find the animals’ owners;
• Fails to provide adequate veterinary care to impounded animals, resulting in animal deaths;
• Fails to provide adequate nutrition, water, shelter and exercise to impounded animals and to treat the animals humanely and kindly;
• Refuses to release animals to rescue groups that are willing to care for the animals until adoptive homes can be found and, instead, kills the animals.

In addition, the County Department of Animal Care and Control unlawfully retaliates against animal rescuers and volunteers who publicize its unlawful treatment of animals.

The lawsuit asks a Superior Court Judge to order Los Angeles County, its Department of Animal Care and Control, and Department Director Mayeda to comply with state laws that protect animals from arbitrary and inhumane treatment. The lawsuit is being handled by the Los Angeles law firm of Eisenberg, Raizman, Thurston, and Wong, LLP.

“The Los Angeles County animal shelter system is supposed to provide a reasonable safety net of care for lost and abandoned animals,” said Nathan J. Winograd, Director of the No Kill Advocacy Center. “Instead, the system betrays the trust of the citizens of Los Angeles County by failing to treat the animals humanely and kindly.”

“Los Angeles County and its Department of Animal Control fought the existing animal protection laws that safeguard shelter animals when those laws were pending in the legislature. They fought the laws after they became effective through a regulatory challenge. Now, it appears they have decided they are just going to ignore those laws,” stated Winograd. “But Los Angeles County shelters are supposed to enforce laws related to animal welfare, not violate the laws themselves and then retaliate against rescue groups who want to save these animals and make their demands public. This is the worst form of hypocrisy and cannot be tolerated—especially since animals are not only suffering, they are needlessly being killed because of it.”

“I have tried to work with the Department and Director Mayeda regarding the conditions at Los Angeles County shelters for many months to no avail,” said plaintiff Cathy Nguyen, who works with rescue groups trying to save animals that Los Angeles County shelters are putting to death. “I cannot sit quietly and do nothing about this and have no choice at this point but to demand that they follow the law.”

“As a taxpayer, I don’t want my taxes to pay for the killing of animals when there are rescue groups willing to save them at their own expense,” said Los Angeles county taxpayer and plaintiff Rebecca Arvizu. “These shelters also do not reflect my values and those of my fellow citizens who love animals. Since they are supposed to be working for us, I want them caring for animals humanely. That’s the law and those are the values a majority of us hold dear.”

The No Kill Advocacy Center is a national non-profit organization trying to end the systematic killing of animals in U.S. shelters. It has drafted model legislation, works with municipal and private shelters nationwide, and helps animal lovers throughout the United States reform their local shelters.

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

For a copy of the press release, click here. (Please note: Images are disturbing.)

For a full media kit, which includes a copy of the 4-page Demand Letter the plaintiffs sent to Ms. Mayeda before filing their lawsuit, the 3-page letter protesting the Department’s retaliation, the 29-page Complaint, video footage, and high resolution images of animal suffering in Los Angeles County’s shelter system, click here. (Please note: Images are disturbing.)

Please help us pay for the legal costs. To donate by check or make a secure online donation, click here or go to nokilladvocacycenter.org.

P.O. Box 74926 San Clemente CA 92673

Have you read "Redemption: The Myth of Pet Overpopulation and the No Kill Revolution in America" yet?

The more you know, the better your understanding of WHY AB 1634 and similar legislation does not work.

Labels: animal_control

Legislation in California and across the United States of America, fueled by extremists and misinformed and/or corrupt legislators are doing their darndest to bring more authoritarian government our lives.

See the story of Mr. Chen in China who "has been fighting for the right to own the dog of his choice since 2003". Mr. Chen is now fighting China.

Labels: animal_control

Great video from Rexano.
Woohoo! Aside from the important subject and good coverage of the matter -- there is TEXT in the video, great for deafies like me. :)

After you view the video... go to YouTube and rate HIGH!

Labels: animal_control, Video

When the voices of extremists can strong arm our democratic process with use of funds accumulated via deception. When extremists can use this financial clout to broadly and wrongly profile populations as HIGH RISK for lifestyles not tolerated by these vocal extremists.

When extremists are successful in manipulating our legislators to enact wide reaching, selectively enforced and prejudicial legislation. And when the voices of the citizens to be affected are completely ignored by our legislators... something has gone terribly wrong.

Borrowed from http://www.bloggernews.net/111851

REXANO Editorial By Zuzana Kukol, www.REXANO.org

"No person shall be deprived of life, liberty, or property, without due process of law."
(US Constitution)


Las Vegas, NV, November 21, 2007--In this country called United States of America, we have this ‘document’ many heard of in school but forgot all about it. It is called US Constitution, which guarantees us freedom of speech, which we are exercising right now, writing and publishing this editorial, as well as presenting it in video form on You Tube:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eDzn6CX7Q4U

US Constitution also guarantees people pursuit of happiness, which many animal owners haven’t been able to exercise lately because they have been too busy fighting all the crazy animal legislation.

Constitution also guarantees people property rights: lands and animals are some of the most ancient type of properties. Many new laws are messing with both of them, with peoples’ right to use their land without government interference and with their right to choose the types and amount of animals.

It is time to Legalize the Constitution in the USA.

Our enemies, extreme animal rights (AR) activists groups, are getting stronger and more successful at passing bans regarding how many and what species or breeds of animals we can keep, and often mandating forced sterilization of domestic pets.

It doesn’t matter if you only own one hamster, horse, domestic dog, or cat, these unfair bans will eventually affect us all, since we all have a common enemy: extreme AR groups whose final agenda is no animals in captivity, no meat on our plates and no leather good in our houses. They want to remove all animal and human contact.

Year 2007 alone brought too many mandatory spay/neuter, breed specific legislation (BSL) and anti exotic animal bills and bans to many states, localities and even federal level. In too many cases the uneducated legislators and extreme animal rights groups have been winning and responsible animal owners losing their rights to keep the animal of their choice.

Property is not a dirty word, it signifies something people love, value and cherish, and often have to work hard for. Keeping legal status of animals as property also guarantees that animals can’t be stolen from their loving owners without consequences. If we, the animal owners, continue the trend of doing nothing noteworthy in legislative area we, animal owners, are going to be extinct soon and we have only ourselves to blame. Make sure your ‘animal votes’. Choose the animal owner and animal welfare (not animal rights) friendly candidate.

Educate the legislators, friends and family, so they don’t get gagged by the anti animal propaganda.

United we stand, divided we fall, regardless of the breed or species.

As long as animal welfare and public safety laws are followed, the private ownership of all animals should be protected and legal in the USA

Just say NO! to anti animal ownership laws.
Say YES to Legalizing the US Constitution.

REXANO is dedicated to the Responsible Exotic Animal Ownership while protecting public safety.



Related:
- Individual Freedom and Rights of the People
- Initiatives and Referenda in Circulation as of November 21, 2007

Labels: animal_control, Animal_Rights, BSL

Thoughtful comments on HSUS & Wayne Pacelle, by Gina Spadafori at the Pet Connection Blog.

I'm looking forward to Christie Keith's follow up article at SFGate on Nathan Winograd's talk about "Redemption". It will probably be in the "Your Whole Pet" November 2007 archive here. The book is on my reading list, when I get a chance. I've another post on Winograd here.


No on California AB 1634
"California Healthy Pets Act"
Choosing a 'feel good' perky name for a bill perpetuates the GRAND deception

Labels: animal_control