Thursday, November 29, 2012
You Don't Get Any Better Than Mark and Jamie Buehrle
Blue Jays pitcher Mark Buehrle and his wife want Ontario to overturn pit-bull ban
John Lott
Thursday, Nov. 29, 2012
Thursday, Nov. 29, 2012
In his first conference call with Toronto reporters, new Blue Jays pitcher Mark Buehrle spent almost as much time talking about his dog as about baseball. Lynne Sladky/The Associated Press
On the mound, Mark Buehrle does not throw hard. In the clubhouse, he’s known as a quiet, even-tempered veteran who leads by example.
All of that changes when he starts talking about pit bulls. And in his first conference call with Toronto reporters, the new Blue Jays pitcher spent almost as much time talking about his dog as about baseball.
Pit bulls have been banned in Ontario since 2005. Buehrle and his family have four dogs, one a pit bull named Slater. Almost immediately upon hearing the stunning news that he had been traded from Miami to Toronto, Burhrle learned that Slater was an outlaw in Ontario.
Now, the Buehrles are trying to figure out where they will be living next season. Miami has a similar ban so they currently live in Broward County, north of the city.
“I think it’s a discriminatory law. Just because of the way a dog looks, I don’t think that dog should be banned from someplace,” said Buehrle, a key piece in the 12-player trade that also brought pitcher Josh Johnson and star shortstop Jose Reyes to the Jays.
“I was kind of joking around with my wife, saying that they probably shouldn’t let me in the country [if] they don’t let my dog in because my dog is so loving and so awesome.”
Already Buehrle and wife Jamie have joined lobbying efforts with Ontario groups seeking to overturn the ban. In Florida, Mark and Jamie taped public-service announcements supporting a bill to repeal that ban, and Jamie was a hard-working advocate to save pit bulls targeted for euthanasia in overcrowded shelters.
In Miami last August, [external] voters chose to keep the ban in place by a 63.2% to 36.8% margin.
Buehrle called the Ontario law a major “obstacle” to his family’s plan to move to Canada.
Although Jamie has recovered from her initial shock over the trade and the pit-bull ban, Buehrle said he worries about the ongoing impact on his family.
“If the family has to stay home [in Florida] because of the dog and I go to Toronto by myself, then that’s going to be tough on her,” he said.
Of the family’s four dogs, two – including Slater – were rescued. Eventually, they will add more dogs to the family, he said.
“We’ve got four and two kids. That’s kind of the max right now. But I have a feeling when I’m retired … we might be on Hoarders for having so many dogs. That’s how big of dog people we are.”
A year ago, after spending his entire career with the White Sox, Buehrle signed a four-year, US$58-million contract with the Marlins. Miami does not grant no-trade clauses, but based on owner Jeffrey Loria’s stated commitment to winning, Buehrle expected to remain a Marlin through 2015.
The trade came as a shock.
“The next day or two, it was just kind of a whirlwind,” he said. “I was just kind of trying to figure stuff out. Obviously, having to do a move again and everything that’s involved in switching teams. I think it was just craziness going on for a couple days.”
Shortly after the trade, a bitter Buehrle issued a statement saying the Marlins had lied to him. But gradually, he said Thursday, calm prevailed. Now, his dog problems aside, he looks forward to playing on a revitalized team that many believe can make it to the playoffs for the first time in two decades.
And he says Toronto has always been “one of my favourite baseball cities.”
“Taking it with open arms and looking forward to moving my career,” he said. “I’m liking what Alex is doing with the team and the guys he signed … It’s going to be an exciting team.”
Alex, of course, would be Alex Anthopoulos, who swung the deal to bring Buehrle, Johnson and Reyes to Toronto, along with utility man Emilio Bonifacio and catcher John Buck. He also has signed free agents Melky Cabrera and Maicer Izturis to multi-year deals.
“With the guys coming over from Miami, I think you’re going to enjoy everybody,” Buehrle said.
He said he believes Johnson will rediscover the form that made him an elite starter before a shoulder problem derailed him in 2011. Johnson struggled at times in 2012 but finished strong.
Both Reyes and Bonifacio are speedsters who bring a high energy level to the club every day, he added.
“[Reyes] wants to play every day. He goes out there and loves stealing bases, loves getting on base, loves being a pest on the bases. I think everybody’s going to like him. He’s energetic, he’s smiling all the time and he wants to win.”
And when it comes to attitude and energy, the “super-fast” Bonifacio’s is a match for Reyes.
“He loves having fun, probably more than Reyes. He’s always dancing. He’s a great guy to have in the clubhouse. I think that’s one guy you guys are going to love.”
Given the Jays’ key holdovers from 2012 and the recent additions, Buehrle said, “you’ve got to like your chances of getting to the playoffs.”
His kids cannot comprehend the upheaval the family is facing. But when the season starts, they will be quick to notice the absence of former Marlins manager Ozzie Guillen.
“I think they’re going to be more upset whenever they find out that they come in the clubhouse and Ozzie’s not in there with a bucket of candy that they get to take home.”
Puppy Mill Project
| |||||||
Friday, November 23, 2012
Monday, November 19, 2012
5 Long Years.........
5 LONG YEARS LATER THE PHONE RINGS
Our Miniature Dachshund went missing back in 2007, after hundreds of flyers and searching for two years we finally came to the realization that our "Velvet" was lost forever. Not knowing what happened to her led to long nights thinking about her. I got a call from the Albuquerque Animal Services today and at first I thought it was a prank call.
The control officer indicated they located me via the HomeAgain microchip service center and assured me it was not a prank. In total shock I asked if she was alive and the officer said "Yes, she is sitting here wagging her tail! "
Wow! I went to the shelter and after verifying all the information she was released to me. Animal Services didn't realize they just found a dog missing for over 5 years. My wife didn't know and I should have video taped the reunion between them when I got home. It was so emotional! I immediately took Velvet to our vet and they were so happy too! We talked about all the missing pet posters on their wall and how they should never give up hope even after 5 YEARS! Thanks so much HomeAgain! Chip Chip Hooray!
The control officer indicated they located me via the HomeAgain microchip service center and assured me it was not a prank. In total shock I asked if she was alive and the officer said "Yes, she is sitting here wagging her tail! "
Wow! I went to the shelter and after verifying all the information she was released to me. Animal Services didn't realize they just found a dog missing for over 5 years. My wife didn't know and I should have video taped the reunion between them when I got home. It was so emotional! I immediately took Velvet to our vet and they were so happy too! We talked about all the missing pet posters on their wall and how they should never give up hope even after 5 YEARS! Thanks so much HomeAgain! Chip Chip Hooray!
Tuesday, November 13, 2012
Dog Loves God
This beautiful dog goes with his mom when she does her adoration at church. Is this not the cutest thing ever ? Even a dog realizes we all need God in our lives !!!
Monday, November 12, 2012
I Died Waiting ...
The Pit Bull, Once the number one choice family dog in the USA, a sweet intelligent, loving and loyal dog. Now the number one killed breed in shelters, and yet people still breed them. Adopt~Don't~Shop and save a life
Sunday, November 11, 2012
Thursday, November 8, 2012
What Are The Causes Of Pet Overpopulation ?
Irresponsible Breeding
Despite increased public awareness over the past 40 years about the need to spay and neuter pets, 35 percent of pet owners in the U.S. still choose not to do so. Many among this group intentionally choose to breed their pets, either for profit or for what they mistakenly believe to be a "fun" experience. Others choose not to spay
or neuter out of ignorance, believing that their pets won't breed accidentally.
However, the urge to breed is extremely powerful and it is very frustrating for pets when humans try to put up barriers. Both males and females will run out the door, break through screens, chew through leashes, and jump, climb or dig under 6-foot fences to get to a potential mate. Dogs can even mate through a chain link fence. Simply put, there is no such thing as "accidental" breeding. Spaying and neutering is a conscious choice. Puppies and kittens can be safely spayed or neutered at 8 weeks of age, well before they reach sexual maturity -- so there is simply no excuse for an "accidental" litter.
Many people who breed their pets believe they aren't adding to the pet overpopulation problem if they find homes for all their puppies or kittens. But consider this: Every puppy or kitten sold by an irresponsible breeder means there is one more shelter animal that will not find a home. And many of those same kittens and puppies will end up in shelters themselves at some point in their life. There are currently about 163 million pet cats and dogs in the U.S., and about one out of every 20 ends up in a shelter each year.
Choosing Not to Adopt
It is a common myth that pet overpopulation means there are "not enough" homes for all the shelter animals. In reality, there are more than enough homes, but not enough people are choosing to adopt from a shelter. Seventeen million Americans acquire a new pet each year -- that is more than double the number of shelter animals! Sadly, only 3.5 million people, or about 20 percent, choose to adopt their new pet. The rest choose to buy their pets from pet stores or breeders, or they choose a variety of other cheap or free sources, such as friends, neighbors or Internet ads.
Virtually all puppies sold at pets stores come from puppy mills, where dogs live miserably in tiny cages with little or no opportunity to exercise, play or socialize. Although there are many responsible breeders, there are far more irresponsible ones who are breeding for profit without regard for good health and temperament or the pet overpopulation problem.
While acquiring a puppy, kitten or adult animal from a friend, neighbor or Internet ad might seem innocent enough, in reality you are contributing to the pet overpopulation problem by creating demand for irresponsible breeding or enabling owners to have a convenient, guilt-free and often profitable outlet for disposing of unwanted pets. In many cases, these people will go on to become repeat offenders, engaging in a continuous cycle of irresponsible breeding or pet acquisition and disposal because they know they can easily find a new home for the animal(s).The majority of pets acquired this way are not spayed or neutered, which also perpetuates the cycle of overpopulation. The only way to break this cycle is to choose not to participate in it.
By choosing to adopt, you will not only save a life, but you will also ensure that your adoption fee is going to help the next unwanted pet that comes in the door of that shelter. The adoption fees at most shelters include spaying or neutering, vaccinations, micro chipping, worming, and heartworm or feline leukemia testing, and they are typically hundreds of dollars less than what you would spend to have all of these services performed at a veterinarian's office.
Disposable Pets
The continuous flow of animals into shelters across the country is not just made up of litters of puppies and kittens. In fact, most shelters receive a greater number of stray and owner-relinquished adult pets. The majority of stray pets arrive at shelters without any identification, and most are never reclaimed by their owners. Average owner reclaim rates for stray dogs are less than 50 percent and for cats they are less than 10 percent.
While there are some situations when it may be absolutely necessary for an owner to relinquish a pet, hundreds of thousands of pets are relinquished to shelters each year simply because they have become an inconvenience or because the owner did not consider the time and financial commitment required to properly train and care for them.
The number-one reason for pet relinquishment is "moving," despite the fact that the vast majority of rental properties in the United States are now pet-friendly. For example, in the Denver metro area, 97 percent of managed rental properties allow cats, 93 percent allow small dogs, and 66 percent allow large dogs.
The other top reasons given for pet relinquishment include "behavior problems," "not enough time," "cannot afford care," "allergic" and "new baby."
So why do so many people consider pets to be disposable, and what can we do to change this way of thinking? This is a question that most shelter professionals ask themselves every day, and unfortunately, there is no simple answer. To solve this problem, we would need to effect a cultural change in which every individual fully considers all of the responsibilities and consequences of pet ownership before adopting, and then makes a lifetime commitment to their pet. That perfect world may not be realized anytime soon, but you can do your part by thinking carefully about pet ownership before you adopt.
What you can do to combat pet overpopulation:
Always spay and neuter your pets.
Always adopt your pets from a legitimate shelter or nonprofit rescue group.
Consider all the responsibilities and consequences of pet ownership before deciding to get a pet and always make a lifetime commitment to your pet.
Educate your children, friends, family members and co-workers about pet overpopulation, adoption and the importance of spaying and neutering.
You can help stop generations of suffering. Have your female pet spayed and your male pet neutered. Don't allow them.
Animals In Print
The On-Line Newsletter
February 28, 2012
However, the urge to breed is extremely powerful and it is very frustrating for pets when humans try to put up barriers. Both males and females will run out the door, break through screens, chew through leashes, and jump, climb or dig under 6-foot fences to get to a potential mate. Dogs can even mate through a chain link fence. Simply put, there is no such thing as "accidental" breeding. Spaying and neutering is a conscious choice. Puppies and kittens can be safely spayed or neutered at 8 weeks of age, well before they reach sexual maturity -- so there is simply no excuse for an "accidental" litter.
Many people who breed their pets believe they aren't adding to the pet overpopulation problem if they find homes for all their puppies or kittens. But consider this: Every puppy or kitten sold by an irresponsible breeder means there is one more shelter animal that will not find a home. And many of those same kittens and puppies will end up in shelters themselves at some point in their life. There are currently about 163 million pet cats and dogs in the U.S., and about one out of every 20 ends up in a shelter each year.
Choosing Not to Adopt
It is a common myth that pet overpopulation means there are "not enough" homes for all the shelter animals. In reality, there are more than enough homes, but not enough people are choosing to adopt from a shelter. Seventeen million Americans acquire a new pet each year -- that is more than double the number of shelter animals! Sadly, only 3.5 million people, or about 20 percent, choose to adopt their new pet. The rest choose to buy their pets from pet stores or breeders, or they choose a variety of other cheap or free sources, such as friends, neighbors or Internet ads.
Virtually all puppies sold at pets stores come from puppy mills, where dogs live miserably in tiny cages with little or no opportunity to exercise, play or socialize. Although there are many responsible breeders, there are far more irresponsible ones who are breeding for profit without regard for good health and temperament or the pet overpopulation problem.
While acquiring a puppy, kitten or adult animal from a friend, neighbor or Internet ad might seem innocent enough, in reality you are contributing to the pet overpopulation problem by creating demand for irresponsible breeding or enabling owners to have a convenient, guilt-free and often profitable outlet for disposing of unwanted pets. In many cases, these people will go on to become repeat offenders, engaging in a continuous cycle of irresponsible breeding or pet acquisition and disposal because they know they can easily find a new home for the animal(s).The majority of pets acquired this way are not spayed or neutered, which also perpetuates the cycle of overpopulation. The only way to break this cycle is to choose not to participate in it.
By choosing to adopt, you will not only save a life, but you will also ensure that your adoption fee is going to help the next unwanted pet that comes in the door of that shelter. The adoption fees at most shelters include spaying or neutering, vaccinations, micro chipping, worming, and heartworm or feline leukemia testing, and they are typically hundreds of dollars less than what you would spend to have all of these services performed at a veterinarian's office.
Disposable Pets
The continuous flow of animals into shelters across the country is not just made up of litters of puppies and kittens. In fact, most shelters receive a greater number of stray and owner-relinquished adult pets. The majority of stray pets arrive at shelters without any identification, and most are never reclaimed by their owners. Average owner reclaim rates for stray dogs are less than 50 percent and for cats they are less than 10 percent.
While there are some situations when it may be absolutely necessary for an owner to relinquish a pet, hundreds of thousands of pets are relinquished to shelters each year simply because they have become an inconvenience or because the owner did not consider the time and financial commitment required to properly train and care for them.
The number-one reason for pet relinquishment is "moving," despite the fact that the vast majority of rental properties in the United States are now pet-friendly. For example, in the Denver metro area, 97 percent of managed rental properties allow cats, 93 percent allow small dogs, and 66 percent allow large dogs.
The other top reasons given for pet relinquishment include "behavior problems," "not enough time," "cannot afford care," "allergic" and "new baby."
So why do so many people consider pets to be disposable, and what can we do to change this way of thinking? This is a question that most shelter professionals ask themselves every day, and unfortunately, there is no simple answer. To solve this problem, we would need to effect a cultural change in which every individual fully considers all of the responsibilities and consequences of pet ownership before adopting, and then makes a lifetime commitment to their pet. That perfect world may not be realized anytime soon, but you can do your part by thinking carefully about pet ownership before you adopt.
What you can do to combat pet overpopulation:
Always spay and neuter your pets.
Always adopt your pets from a legitimate shelter or nonprofit rescue group.
Consider all the responsibilities and consequences of pet ownership before deciding to get a pet and always make a lifetime commitment to your pet.
Educate your children, friends, family members and co-workers about pet overpopulation, adoption and the importance of spaying and neutering.
You can help stop generations of suffering. Have your female pet spayed and your male pet neutered. Don't allow them.
Animals In Print
The On-Line Newsletter
February 28, 2012
Wednesday, November 7, 2012
Dog Rescued From Puppy Mill
National Mill dog rescue writes: Last night our rescue team arrived at our kennel with 31 dogs and included was this sad poodle. As you can see he appeared to be a chocolate color, but after clipping we found he's gray and white! He'll be bathed and get a little additional grooming today. Welcome to freedom, sweet boy!
Please keep this picture in mind the next time you are considering buying a dog from a PET STORE where 90% of the dogs or more are coming from Puppy Mills where the parent dogs are living in conditions you can't even begin to wrap your head around.
Adopt your next pet from your local rescue or shelter !!!
Monday, November 5, 2012
LUCKY.....a great story !!!
|
Darcy the New Face of the Alliance 2013
Hudson Meet this Incredible dog a few days ago on a walk and has known his owner for several years now. His owner is a man full of compassion for animals in need and has fought the fight for years as well as being an outstanding voice for them. Here's to you guys .....
Congratulations, Darby, Face of the Alliance 2013!
Darby showed off his patriotic spirit and his charming good looks and ended up the winner!
Congratulations to Darby, the winner of the "Face of the Alliance 2013" contest. Darby, and 11 runners up, will be featured in our 2013 wall calendar, available now. In addition to adorable photos, the calendar will feature biographies of each cat and dog that finished in the top 12 places.
Congratulations to Darby, the winner of the "Face of the Alliance 2013" contest. Darby, and 11 runners up, will be featured in our 2013 wall calendar, available now. In addition to adorable photos, the calendar will feature biographies of each cat and dog that finished in the top 12 places.
Way to Go Los Angeles.....
Los Angeles Says "NO" to Missouri Puppy Mills
The Los Angeles City Council voted NO to puppy mill cruelty on Wednesday. It did so by passing an ordinance prohibiting the sale of dogs in pet stores in the City of Los Angeles. The only exceptions are for dogs obtained from a municipal animal shelter, non-profit rescue, or humane organization. The ban also prohibits the sale of cats and rabbits in pet stores.
This is a commendable effort to halt the cruelty of puppy mills and it will have a direct impact here in Missouri. The City Council recognized that many pet stores in Los Angeles were nothing other than puppy mill outlet stores. The Council realized that if citizens of Los Angeles continued to purchase puppies that originated from Missouri, the cruelty of puppy mills would continue unabated. The Council acknowledged that the ultimate solution to puppy mill cruelty rests at the retail end of the business.
The efforts to enact this prohibition were led by the Companion Animal Protection Society (CAPS) which conducted a two-year investigation into the source of the puppies being sold in Los Angeles pet stores. CAPS turned over to the City Council video and photographic evidence of substandard conditions of puppy mills supplying L.A. pet stores. The Council was shown evidence that L.A.'s pet retailers were in business with commercial dog breeders who were neglecting and abusing animals, and repeatedly violating USDA minimum standards of care.
Not surprisingly, many of these inhumane breeders selling sick puppies to L.A. pet stores were Missouri dog breeders. Carole Davis, West Coast Director of CAPS, reported that some of the worst dog breeding facilities marketing puppies to Los Angeles pet stores were Missouri establishments. Ms. Davis stated that the ordinance was specifically directed at Missouri as "Missouri stood out as the source for sick and dying dogs in L.A. pet stores." In fact,over 50% of pet store dogs in Los Angeles originated from Missouri breeders.
Fortunately, the L. A. City Council took appropriate action and implemented an outright ban on the sale of dogs in pet stores and other commercial establishments. The ordinance passed overwhelmingly by a vote of 13-2.
This ordinance will also help to encourage the adoption of shelter pets and hopefully diminish the pet overpopulation problem in Los Angeles. Last year, municipally operated shelters alone in L.A., took in over 55,000 dogs and cats of which 25% were euthanized. It makes little sense for Missouri breeders to churn out puppies for Los Angeles when thousands of dogs in that city are already without homes and many having to be put down. Councilman Paul Koretz, who introduced this bill after his own dog died due to an illness caused by conditions at a puppy mill, has indicated that his ordinance is intended to "shut down puppy mills and reduce the tens of thousands of euthanizations performed on unclaimed animals each year."
Many other cities surrounding Los Angeles have similar bans including Laguna Beach, Irvine, West Hollywood, Glendale, and Burbank. The Los Angeles area is the second largest market for puppy mill puppies in the country. Hopefully, these new ordinances will deal a devastating blow to the substandard breeders here in Missouri.
This is another victory in our efforts against puppy mill cruelty in our state. We have improved standards of care for dogs in commercial breeding establishments as a result of the passage of the Canine Cruelty Prevention Act last year, we have seen dramatic improvement of the enforcement of our laws to protect the dogs as implemented by Governor Nixon, and we now have tough prosecution of those who abuse animals by Attorney General Koster. Combined with consumer awareness and strong local ordinances in cities where puppy mill puppies are marketed, we are finally making significant headway in the fight against puppy mill cruelty.
As co-founder of CAPS, I take special satisfaction in the work CAPS is doing to help us in our efforts against animal abuse here in Missouri.
Bob Baker
Executive Director
Missouri Alliance for Animal Legislation
This is a commendable effort to halt the cruelty of puppy mills and it will have a direct impact here in Missouri. The City Council recognized that many pet stores in Los Angeles were nothing other than puppy mill outlet stores. The Council realized that if citizens of Los Angeles continued to purchase puppies that originated from Missouri, the cruelty of puppy mills would continue unabated. The Council acknowledged that the ultimate solution to puppy mill cruelty rests at the retail end of the business.
The efforts to enact this prohibition were led by the Companion Animal Protection Society (CAPS) which conducted a two-year investigation into the source of the puppies being sold in Los Angeles pet stores. CAPS turned over to the City Council video and photographic evidence of substandard conditions of puppy mills supplying L.A. pet stores. The Council was shown evidence that L.A.'s pet retailers were in business with commercial dog breeders who were neglecting and abusing animals, and repeatedly violating USDA minimum standards of care.
Not surprisingly, many of these inhumane breeders selling sick puppies to L.A. pet stores were Missouri dog breeders. Carole Davis, West Coast Director of CAPS, reported that some of the worst dog breeding facilities marketing puppies to Los Angeles pet stores were Missouri establishments. Ms. Davis stated that the ordinance was specifically directed at Missouri as "Missouri stood out as the source for sick and dying dogs in L.A. pet stores." In fact,over 50% of pet store dogs in Los Angeles originated from Missouri breeders.
Fortunately, the L. A. City Council took appropriate action and implemented an outright ban on the sale of dogs in pet stores and other commercial establishments. The ordinance passed overwhelmingly by a vote of 13-2.
This ordinance will also help to encourage the adoption of shelter pets and hopefully diminish the pet overpopulation problem in Los Angeles. Last year, municipally operated shelters alone in L.A., took in over 55,000 dogs and cats of which 25% were euthanized. It makes little sense for Missouri breeders to churn out puppies for Los Angeles when thousands of dogs in that city are already without homes and many having to be put down. Councilman Paul Koretz, who introduced this bill after his own dog died due to an illness caused by conditions at a puppy mill, has indicated that his ordinance is intended to "shut down puppy mills and reduce the tens of thousands of euthanizations performed on unclaimed animals each year."
Many other cities surrounding Los Angeles have similar bans including Laguna Beach, Irvine, West Hollywood, Glendale, and Burbank. The Los Angeles area is the second largest market for puppy mill puppies in the country. Hopefully, these new ordinances will deal a devastating blow to the substandard breeders here in Missouri.
This is another victory in our efforts against puppy mill cruelty in our state. We have improved standards of care for dogs in commercial breeding establishments as a result of the passage of the Canine Cruelty Prevention Act last year, we have seen dramatic improvement of the enforcement of our laws to protect the dogs as implemented by Governor Nixon, and we now have tough prosecution of those who abuse animals by Attorney General Koster. Combined with consumer awareness and strong local ordinances in cities where puppy mill puppies are marketed, we are finally making significant headway in the fight against puppy mill cruelty.
As co-founder of CAPS, I take special satisfaction in the work CAPS is doing to help us in our efforts against animal abuse here in Missouri.
Bob Baker
Executive Director
Missouri Alliance for Animal Legislation
Thank To Missouri ALliance For A Wonderful Article
Dave Spence Continues His Support of Puppy Mills
Attacks Missouri's Laws to Protect Dogs
Attacks Missouri's Laws to Protect Dogs
Dave Spence, gubernatorial candidate running against Governor Nixon, continues to criticize our laws to protect dogs and wants to roll back efforts to close down cruel puppy mills. At a recent gathering of commercial dog breeders, Spence told the audience that "your industry is under attack with regulations in front of common sense." Ironically, these are the same regulations that the dog breeders agreed to just last year. These are the same regulations that Spence's own party overwhelmingly supported. In fact, with only two possible exceptions, Republicans in the legislature voting against these regulations did so because they felt they weren't strong enough. Spence's assault on regulations to protect the welfare of dogs that the industry endorsed and his own party enthusiastically supported is a clear indication of how little he cares about the humane treatment of animals.
Spence is so upset that laws to protect animals from abuse and neglect are finally being enforced that, if elected governor, he vows to replace Dr. Hagler with someone "from the farm bureau." Spence is apparently mindful of the fact that the farm bureau has been a persistent opponent of animal welfare laws in the state. The farm bureau in Missouri believes everything is a slippery slope and has even opposed legislation that applies only to the care of dogs. Last session they supported a bill to repeal our current law that allows for a disposition hearing for abused and neglected animals. Such repeal, if it had been successful, would have left abused animals in the hands of their abusers.
One need only look at what happened in Pennsylvania to learn the dire consequences of placing the farm bureau in charge of enforcement of laws to protect animals. The newly elected governor of Pennsylvania recently appointed a farm bureau board member to head up the PA Department of Agriculture. Under the leadership of the past Secretary, standards of care were improved dramatically and enforcement efforts were substantially enhanced. As a result many cruel and inhumane dog breeding facilities were closed down.
Under the leadership of the new Secretary from the farm bureau, however, enforcement efforts came to a sudden halt. Inspectors were laid off including the only veterinarian on staff. Remaining inspectors are required to call the Department's headquarters for "permission" before they can write-up a violation against a dog breeder. One licensed dog breeding facility is so bad that inspectors have to wear respirators when performing inspections due to the overwhelming stench in the barns. In spite of numerous continuing violations that threaten the health of the dogs, no action has been taken to close down this breeding operation. Inspections of all commercial dog breeders in the state were finally halted completely from July 1, 2011 until early 2012 leaving thousands of dogs to languish in puppy mills with absolutely no oversight for well over seven months.
In April 2012, the Department admitted that "only 17 of 52 licensed commercial kennels were in compliance with the regulations." The Department also granted a license to the wife of a Lancaster County breeder who was convicted of cruelty to animals. This breeding facility continues to violate regulations under the wife's name with no action from the Department of Agriculture. The Department, under the new leadership of the farm bureau representative, reversed the revocation process of several other non-complaint facilities. In September, the Governor's Advisory Board issued a 100 page report extremely critical of the Agriculture Department's lack of enforcement efforts that have occurred under the leadership of a representative of the farm bureau.
According to the principal author of the report, "the data show that, by design, everything was done to ignore enforcing the law."
It is only too clear what will happen to dogs in Missouri's commercial dog breeding facilities if Spence becomes governor and fulfills his desire to place the farm bureau in charge of our laws to protect animals.
Spence stated recently that "if he were governor, he would have publicly denounced the Prop B ballot initiative before it even went to voters." Spence also asserted that "it is an important industry in the state so let's not kill the golden goose." Spence is no doubt proud of Missouri's moniker as puppy mill capital of the country.
Meanwhile, Ed Martin, candidate for attorney general, continues his criticism of Attorney General Chris Koster for his support of the new law improving standards of care at breeding operations. Martin, not only opposed Prop B during his unsuccessful run for Congress in 2010, like Spence, Martin is also critical of the compromise puppy mill law that his Republican colleagues in the legislature overwhelmingly voted for and passed into law. Martin has called the closing of puppy mills part of a "far left agenda" and "that this is the kind of madness that has to end." See article
 |
| Missouri's puppy mill dogs |
Historically, opponents of any new laws regulating puppy mills routinely argued that state authorities only need enforce the laws that are already on the books. Yet, when Director of Agriculture, Dr. Jon Hagler, cited numerous breeders for chronic violations of the 1992 law, Spence complained about such enforcement efforts and lamented that, "Our governor and agriculture director are trying to put you out of business." Last year, Jared Craighead, campaign manager for Dave Spence, criticized Governor Nixon for allocating an additional $1.1 million for enforcement of laws protecting dogs at puppy mills. So now we learn that Spence is not only against needed improvements in standards of care that passed with overwhelming support of the legislature last year, but he is also opposed to the enforcement of laws that have been on the books for twenty years.
 |
| Missouri's puppy mill dogs |
 |
| Missouri's puppy mill dogs |
Under the leadership of the new Secretary from the farm bureau, however, enforcement efforts came to a sudden halt. Inspectors were laid off including the only veterinarian on staff. Remaining inspectors are required to call the Department's headquarters for "permission" before they can write-up a violation against a dog breeder. One licensed dog breeding facility is so bad that inspectors have to wear respirators when performing inspections due to the overwhelming stench in the barns. In spite of numerous continuing violations that threaten the health of the dogs, no action has been taken to close down this breeding operation. Inspections of all commercial dog breeders in the state were finally halted completely from July 1, 2011 until early 2012 leaving thousands of dogs to languish in puppy mills with absolutely no oversight for well over seven months.
In April 2012, the Department admitted that "only 17 of 52 licensed commercial kennels were in compliance with the regulations." The Department also granted a license to the wife of a Lancaster County breeder who was convicted of cruelty to animals. This breeding facility continues to violate regulations under the wife's name with no action from the Department of Agriculture. The Department, under the new leadership of the farm bureau representative, reversed the revocation process of several other non-complaint facilities. In September, the Governor's Advisory Board issued a 100 page report extremely critical of the Agriculture Department's lack of enforcement efforts that have occurred under the leadership of a representative of the farm bureau.
According to the principal author of the report, "the data show that, by design, everything was done to ignore enforcing the law."
 |
| Chris Koster visits Missouri puppy mill. Under his leadership, a full-time prosecutor was appointed to handle cases against those that abuse animals. |
Spence stated recently that "if he were governor, he would have publicly denounced the Prop B ballot initiative before it even went to voters." Spence also asserted that "it is an important industry in the state so let's not kill the golden goose." Spence is no doubt proud of Missouri's moniker as puppy mill capital of the country.
Meanwhile, Ed Martin, candidate for attorney general, continues his criticism of Attorney General Chris Koster for his support of the new law improving standards of care at breeding operations. Martin, not only opposed Prop B during his unsuccessful run for Congress in 2010, like Spence, Martin is also critical of the compromise puppy mill law that his Republican colleagues in the legislature overwhelmingly voted for and passed into law. Martin has called the closing of puppy mills part of a "far left agenda" and "that this is the kind of madness that has to end." See article
There has never been a more important election addressing animal welfare issues in the state than the current governor and attorney general races.
 |
| Governor Jay Nixon supports puppy mill reforms in Missouri |
Please make your vote count
and support the welfare of
animals in Missouri.
Sunday, November 4, 2012
Companion Animal Protection Society
Join CAPS is a national nonprofit 501(c)(3) organization. Founded in 1992, CAPS is funded by member donations and foundation grants. There are only a few foundations that provide grants for animal protection work, and funds are very limited. You can sign-up and donate at our web site. You can also call or write us for membership information. Basic membership is $20 a year, although we gladly welcome tax-deductible donations of any amount.
CAPS needs your support to continue its extremely important work. Please help ensure that CAPS is there for companion animals- particularly those dogs suffering in pet shops and puppy mills- by giving as generous a donation as possible. Your help is VITAL.
CAPS
Companion Animal Protection Society
759 CJC Hwy. # 332
Cohasset, MA 02025
Phone: (339) 309- 0272
Email: caps@caps-web.org
Website: www.caps-web.org
Friday, November 2, 2012
Way To Go Los Angeles........
ITS OFFICIAL...SHARE and CHEER! The legislation has passed the official 2nd vote! The sale of commercially bred dogs, cats and rabbits is ILLEGAL in pet stores in the city of Los Angeles! This means that dogs, cats and rabbits in pet stores must, by law, be from rescue orgs or our shelters!
We have shot a cannon ball into the heart of the pet factory and puppy mill industry. This is an enormous victory that we share with activists who made this happen. Animal lovers came out week after week to protest pet stores, standing up to bullies, enduring this process for years. YOU DID IT!
Pop the Champagne corks and cheer! THANK you for standing up for what is right
Thursday, November 1, 2012
Dogs Never Stop Amazing Me..........
BIRMINGHAM, AL: Injured dog’s buddy howls and stops traffic – begging someone to help. A good samaritan did stop. They were found in traffic, off Deerfoot Parkway in Trussville on Oct. 16.AT Emergency Animal Clinic now 205-967-7380According to the techs at the vet, the dog pictured on the left was able to alert a car by barking and howling at it until the car stopped to see why. The canine then l
ed the driver to his other canine friend, pictured on the right, who had been hit by a car and was not visible from the road. The injured dog had surgery this week to fix his fractured leg. He is doing well and recovering.“His friend voluntarily, and quite gingerly, I might add, crawled into the cage to be with his friend. Such a sweet story, I simply could not resist sharing-feel free to do the same!” said the social media post. Both dogs are still at the Emergency Animal Clinic on Acton Road in Birmingham, 205 -967-7389. Link to story in news: http://
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)