A
n i m a l W r i t e s © sm
The official ANIMAL
RIGHTS ONLINE newsletter
Editor
~ JJswans@aol.com
Issue # 05/04/03
Publisher ~ Susan
Roghair - EnglandGal@aol.com
Journalists ~ Greg Lawson - ParkStRanger@aol.com
~ Michelle Rivera
- MichelleRivera1@aol.com
~ Dr. Steve
Best - sbest1@elp.rr.com
THE ARTICLES IN THIS ISSUE ARE:
1 ~ The Gift of Dogs by Debby Dobson
2 ~ Roman Cats by Demnymets@aol.com
3 ~ No More Homeless Pets Forum
4 ~ Honor The Dogs of War
5 ~ Pineapple Coleslaw recipe by Greg Lawson
6 ~ A Click A Day Feeds An Animal
7 ~ Seeking The Truth About The Seal Hunt
8 ~ Compassionate Traveler
9 ~ A Prayer For Little Paws
10~ Memorable Quote
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~1~
The
Gift of Dogs
By Debby Dobson - ddobson@peoplepc.com
In
all honesty, I prefer most dogs to most people. Dogs are emotionally forthright
creatures who wear their hearts on their sleeves (metaphorically speaking); you
always know where you stand with them.
When my dog Nora greets me, even if I've been gone only a short while, she is
not merely happy to see me again - she is ecstatic! Her entire body radiates
joy; she wriggles, bounces and whirls around with an enormous wide grin on her
face. I always feel so delighted and touched by her unabashed display of
affection and wonder why we humans can't duplicate it.
That is not to say that I have no human friends - I am blessed to know some of
the most wonderful people and truly cherish their presence in my life. But
overall, I find it less taxing and less emotionally draining to make friends
with a dog. Dogs know what
unconditional love is and they display this without reserve unless they have
been treated less than kindly by the humans they interact with. Even then, I
have seen dogs who, despite the horrific or neglectful way they were treated,
persistently attempted to ingratiate themselves to their people. Sidling up to an
unresponsive human, ears back, eyes up and tail tentatively wagging, they again
hope for that elusive crumb of affection or approval.
In the over 20 years I have been a petsitter, I've found that people who have
dogs usually fall into one of two main categories: those who are dog owners and
those who share their life with a dog.
As a group, the dog owners generally see themselves as above their pet
intellectually and emotionally. They expect their dog to be obedient and well
behaved and often spend time and money on training. They are cognizant of the
necessity of regular grooming, veterinary care and proper nutrition. They
provide their dogs with toys and a comfortable place to sleep; often these
people read books about their specific breed of dog and make it a point to
educate themselves on at least the basics of dog ownership. They will research
dog breeds and will purchase a certain breed because of its popularity or
beauty and also because they would prefer a purebred over a mixed breed.
This rather detached group of dog owners consider themselves just that - the
"owner" of a dog. And while they certainly provide more than
adequately for the needs of their pet, these are also the folks who sometimes
lament over the responsibility and restrictions their canine puts on their
lives. During my years as a petsitter, I often heard phrases such as:
"We'll never have another dog" or "It's so difficult to travel
when you have a dog."
And then there are those who consider it a privilege and an honor to share their
life with a dog. They don't particularly care one way or another whether their
friend comes with official papers proclaiming his or her lineage. Many times
their companion came from a shelter where the clock was ticking or simply
showed up one day and, in effect, adopted their person. People in this group
spontaneously light up whenever they meet a dog - for them, it is a delightful
and heartwarming experience every time. They don't mind getting slobbered or
jumped on because, for them, that is the epitome of the unique outpouring of
joy which only comes from a dog.
These folks are dog lovers who easily and often convey their gratitude and
affection to their four-legged friends. It may be in the form of a hug during a
walk, a scratch on the rump as they pass by or a kiss goodnight. And this love
and affection is mirrored back; these are the dogs who have a relaxed body
posture, whose attitude is cheerful and upbeat and who smile often and
infectiously.
There is, unfortunately, a third group of people who also have dogs and these
are the ones who either overtly abuse or neglect them. In the past, I believed
that a lack of education and/or financial resources was primarily the reason
for their behavior, but I have since learned that this is not the case. I have
seen horrible neglect from the well-to-do and educated here in my hometown.
For example, a friend told me about a neighbor of hers, a doctor who kept his
dog outside in the heat with little to no shade. This was a man who was taught
about dehydration in medical school, and who had both the awareness and the
monetary means to help his dog feel more comfortable, but made no attempt to do
so. Such cruel indifference, which is termed "neglect" by legal
standards, is beyond my comprehension.
Equally repugnant are those who overtly physically abuse their dogs - they take
their frustrations out on a living creature who has not a clue as to why they
are being hit or kicked. In lieu of a loud verbal correction, these people
strike before they speak or think.
I worked closely with a group of concerned and like-minded folks on a terrible
case of abuse in which a chained 8-month old puppy was savagely beaten to
death, and I learned many things. One of the most important was that the state
and local laws designed to protect companion animals are sorely lacking. Too
often, if a dog is provided with adequate food, water and shelter (read:
"enough to keep her or him alive"), that is considered legally
acceptable. Forget adequate exercise or any measure of comfort and security!
Having observed and interacted with them for many years, I am convinced that
dogs are endowed with the same range and depth of emotion as humans - they feel
love, fear, jealousy and anger, to mention but a few. Local laws generally
never address these emotional needs; in fact, dogs are often considered
personal property, just as is a vehicle and certainly no one can tell you how
to treat your vehicle!
Over the centuries, dogs have more than proven themselves to be humankind's
"best friend" - they asked for very little and gave so much. In the
past, many dogs were bred for specific purposes such as hunting or herding;
they helped us and enhanced our lives on a daily basis. Today, most dogs are
considered companions, but I believe they still help us immeasurably by being a
shining example of devotion, joy and unconditional love; we have so much to
learn from them and much to gain from their very presence!
So let's all take some time to give back to these wonderful creatures; there
are many effective ways to help. Volunteer at your local shelter (and
especially take time to help socialize the more shy or frightened dogs as this
will vastly improve their chances of being adopted), make regular donations to
an animal advocacy group of your choice, join a breed rescue group. Most
importantly, educate yourself! Learn about dog behavior by reading and
observing them so you can understand their world. Ask about different types of
dog foods for your friend - some are much better than others! Find out what
your state and local laws say about the treatment of companion animals and if
you think they fall short, see what you can do to change them. Use the Internet
if you have access to it - it is an invaluable tool. There are many terrific
dog and animal advocacy websites whose email list you can subscribe to which
often include online petitions to sign and the names and addresses of specific
legislators to whom you can write about a certain case.
The bottom line is that if more people speak up against injustice and
indifference, the greater the chance of positive change for dogs. And, in my
humble opinion, they most certainly deserve it.
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~2~
Roman Cats
By Demnymets@aol.com
As a fairly new follower and supporter of the
animal rights philosophies and protection movement, I'm always thrilled to find
new information that reinforces my personal journey discovering human
compassion. I recently found a whole country of them! Italy.
Since websites speak more than a thousand words, I'd like to share:
Italian Law
http://www.friendsofromancats.org/italianlaw.html
1) General Principles
The State enforces and regulates the treatment of domestic
animals, condemns any violence against them, condemns the bad treatment or the
abandoning of them, with the aim to promote the cohabitation of humans and
animals, and to promote public health and the environment.
~Also~
San
Francisco Chronicle
http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?file=/chronicle/archive/2002/11/15/MN213504.DTL
But Italy is far ahead of the United States in refusing to euthanize healthy
cats and dogs, Wheeler said. In fact, it is illegal in Italy to put to death a
companion animal. According to the Humane Society of the United States, between
4 million and 5 million dogs and cats are euthanized each year in the United
States.
Then just recently this happy piece of news crossed my desk..in Spain:
Spanish
Cities End Euthanization at Animal Shelters -
http://www.anc.org/pets/pets_article.cfm?identifier=2003_0411_euthanization
The article begins:
The governments of the Spanish cities of Barcelona and Mataro recently
prohibited animal shelters from euthanizing stray cats and dogs that are not
severely ill or injured, or dangerous.
In my perfect world, such a law would be mandated in the U.S. also. It
would certainly force our local communities to go after those who create the
companion animal overpopulation problem in the first place!
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~3~
No More Homeless Pets Forum
Spend
a week with some of the leaders of the nationwide No More Homeless Pets
movement, as they share an inside view of their thoughts and daily work and
answer your questions on a different hot topic each week.
For more information or to join the forum, go to the Best Friends website at: www.bestfriends.org/nmhp/forum.html
Upcoming topics:
5/12 – 5/16 -- How do you resolve differences? Cope with
misunderstandings? How can you create a harmonious workplace? Diane
Blankenburg, the director of the Best Friends Network at Best Friends will help
you to prevent problems and successfully resolve your staff and volunteer
dilemmas.
5/19 – 5/23 Cat Behavior: How can you keep kitties in their homes?
Make the cats in your shelter more adoptable? Traci Shreyer, certified
applied animal behaviorist of Animal Behavior Counseling Services, offers her
advice on managing cat behavior problems to keep cats out of the shelter and to
prepare shelter cats for adoption.
5/26 – 5/30 How can you make the dogs in your shelter more adoptable?
Jean Donaldson of the San Francisco SPCA's Academy for Dog Trainers will offer
her advice to help refine the manners of the dogs at your
shelter so they can get adopted more quickly and to make their stay at the
shelter a more pleasant one.
6/2 – 6/6 If we take care of the animals, the money will come. Or will
it? How can you develop a mailing list on a shoestring and raise funds for your
community programs? Bonney Brown of Best Friends will answer your questions
about grassroots fundraising.
6/9 – 6/13 What do grant-makers want? Joyce Briggs of PETsMART Charities and
Jim Mason of the Two Maud’s Foundation offer their perspectives on how you can
make your organization more attractive to potential funders.
Future forum topics include: Grassroots fundraising, Grant writing, Legal
issues for shelters, Customer service in the animal shelter, long-term animal
sheltering, and managing calls for help from the public
Bonney Brown, communications director
No More Homeless Pets
Best Friends Animal Sanctuary
Kanab, UT 84741-5001
phone: 435-644-2001 X108
fax: 435-644-2078
e-mail: bonney@bestfriends.org
website: www.bestfriends.org
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~4~
Honor the Dogs of War
From Snugglezzz@aol.com
America's
military presence in Iraq includes "soldiers" who have received none
of the farewell fanfare and support accorded the hundreds of thousands of
traditional troops deployed. Neither are they being recognized for the heroic
service they provided in past wars. They are war dogs.
Veteran handler Charlie Cargo tells of the day his dog Wolf, a German Shepherd,
refused to allow him to proceed up a trail in Vietnam. "I looked straight
ahead and not more then two feet away was a trip wire. I would have died right
there if he hadn't found the wire," Cargo said. Teams were so effective
that the Viet Cong offered a bounty for dead war dogs or their handlers.
The dogs prevented soldiers from triggering booby traps or stepping on land
mines, and they alerted their handlers to hidden enemy soldiers far away. They
detected underwater saboteurs by the smell of their breath from the reeds they
used as snorkels. Some protected their handlers from gunfire and shrapnel with
their own bodies, losing their own lives in return.
In the Vietnam War, an estimated 10,000 American casualties were prevented by
the efforts of 4,000 faithful American dogs. Only 265 dog handlers were killed
in action. Of the dogs, 325 died in the line of duty, and 600 succumbed to
tropical disease. Because the Vietnam War was so unpopular, many of our
soldiers returned home abandoned and unrecognized. Also unheralded were their
heroic dogs. Some say the government considered them expendable
"equipment." The handlers were devastated to leave their best friends
behind. Today, handlers who served in Vietnam still break down and cry as they
tell of their dogs' heroics and the lives they saved. Fortunately, war dogs are
no longer considered expendable and are sent back to U.S. Air Force bases for
continuing service. That's a start.
Commemorative postage stamps are approved by Congress. Even Donald Duck has
one. But efforts by veterans to so honor our war dogs have been passed over by
Congress -- twice. Donald Duck has entertained and delighted us for
generations, but how many soldiers' lives has he saved? Don't these dogs
deserve at least a postage stamp?
ALAN CUNNINGHAM, DVM
American Fork
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~5~
Pineapple Coleslaw
By Greg Lawson - ParkStRanger@aol.com
1
medium head of cabbage
1 large carrot
1 small red bell pepper
1 20 oz can crushed pineapple
1/2 cup apple cider vinegar
turbinado sugar, about an eighth to a fourth a cup
a cup vegenaise (vegan mayo)
sea salt
ground pepper
Good coleslaw isn't easy. This recipe is based on the way my mother and
her mother used to make it, my only changes being the substitution of vegan
Mayonnaise and the use of a food processor (from my grandmother's way of doing
it, they had food processors in the time of my mother's slaw believe it or
not).
Using the slicing blade of a food processor, reduce a small head of cabbage
into small shreds. Using the grating side of the blade, grate one large
carrot. Chop one small red bell pepper into tiny bits. Place all
this into a large bowl and add 1/2 cup apple cider vinegar, one eighth cup
sugar, two tablespoons salt and the liquid from one 20 ounce can crushed
pineapple. Use a sieve and press the pineapple with a spoon to collect
all the juices. Store the crushed pineapple in a tupperware until the
next day. Okay, now I can tell I am losing you, but I assure you, slow
food beats fast food anyday.
Every couple of hours, stir the cabbage to let the juice marinate the
cabbage. You don't have to wake up in the middle of the night to do this,
a few stirs when you have the time is sufficient The next day, drain off the
liquid using a sieve and press between paper towels to remove as much liquid as
you can. We don't want our slaw to be watery and run juices into our
pork-like-substitute and beans on the other side of the plate.
After cabbage is drained, add the crushed pineapple, vegenaise, salt, pepper
and sugar to taste. Chill for a few more hours. Tastes best on the
third day.
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~6~
A Click A Day Feeds An Animal
Please
Help....
Please tell your friends to tell ten today!
The Animal Rescue Site is having trouble getting enough people to click on it
daily to meet their quota of getting free food donated every day to abused and
neglected animals.
It takes less than a minute to go to their site and click on "feed an
animal in need" for free.
This doesn't cost you a thing. Their corporate sponsors/advertisers use the
number of daily visits to donate food to abandoned/neglected animals in
exchange for advertising.
Here's the web site! Pass it along to people you know.
http://www.theanimalrescuesite.com
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~7~
Seeking The Truth About The
Seal Hunt
http://www.thestar.com/NASApp/cs/ContentServer?pagename=thestar/Layout/Article_Type1&call_pageid=971358637177&c=Article&cid=1051524214479
May. 1, 2003. 06:22 AM
Atlantic Canada Bureau Chief Kelly Toughill spent 11 days aboard a sealing boat
off Newfoundland in early April. Her seven-part series explores the myths and
realities of the annual hunt.
Part One: Where myths collide
Part Two: Thrill of the kill
Part Three: Hunt is gory but swift
Part Four: Disaster a misstep away
Part Five: Turning to unlikely ally
Part Six: Buried in good fortune
---------------------------------------------------
LETTER TO THE EDITOR PUBLISHED REGARDING CANADIAN SEAL
SLAUGHTER.
GLORIFYING SLAUGHTER
Northern Pride's crew members may be good men but their business of killing is
ugly and backward.
Re: Thrill of the kill overcomes fear April 27.
I strongly disapprove of Kelly Toughill's effort to endear Torontonians to the
seal hunt.
I sincerely believe that the men who "man" the Northern Pride are as
kindhearted as she suggests and I also sympathize with the depressed economy of
Newfoundland and Labrador. It is unfortunate that the federal government
cannot find a formula to aid the region's slumping economy and that fish stocks
have not recovered from their exploitation. This, however, is not
relevant to our consideration of the sealing industry.
This industry gives rise to considerable and unnecessary suffering.
Further, sealing is not a solution to the weak economy of the East and should
be banned or severely restricted.
In 2001, an independent group of five respected veterinarians studied the
practices of Canada's sealing industry. They found that 79 per cent of
sealers do not even check to see if the seal is dead before proceeding to
skin. In examining the bodies of seals, the veterinarians determined that
it is probable that 42 per cent of seals were likely conscious while they were
quickly skinned alive. They concluded that the government's regulations,
which attempt to ensure that the hunt is humane, are not followed or
enforced.
From this, they asserted that the seal hunt results in considerable and
unnecessary suffering for the seals.
As a pragmatist, I respect the need for industry and money in
Newfoundland. However, I also recognize that this is not an excuse to
regress as a society. Newfoundland and
Labrador needs creativity and innovation to spur its economy, not this
cruel and archaic business. There are many other options that must
be explored.
A look at history indicates that stagnant economies recover through innovation
and creativity, not a shortsighted reversion to the past.
Michael Manulak,
Executive Director
Greenpower Canada
Toronto
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~8~
Compassionate Traveler:
A WEB RESOURCE FOR TRAVELERS WHO CARE ABOUT ANIMALS
www.compassionatetraveler.org
The newly-updated Compassionate Traveler Web site, a resource for travelers who
care about animals, provides information about animal issues at tourist
destinations in dozens of countries.
Compassionate Traveler features monthly updates on animal issues around the
world, as well as links to information on animal-friendly travel, Compassionate
Traveler guidelines, and more. The Compassionate Traveler is a project of
the International Wildlife Coalition, in partnership with the Pegasus
Foundation.
"Compassionate Traveler is a Web-based service for all people who love
animals and who also love to travel," said Compassionate Traveler director
Melissa Lubofsky. "Often when animal lovers travel, they see animal abuse
that disturbs them. Compassionate Traveler gives them a place to learn more
about a tourist destination before they travel, and it also gives them an
opportunity to do something about animal welfare issues they might
observe."
In addition to the Web site, the Compassionate Traveler sends out a monthly
email newsletter featuring travel-related animal welfare action alerts and
animal-friendly travel information. Recent alerts included updates
on dolphin-safe tuna labeling, the slaughter of the Yellowstone Park buffalo
herd, and the reopening of the ivory trade. Readers are also kept up to
date on dolphin captivity issues, the Canadian seal hunt, manatee protection in
Florida and humane stray animal solutions in the Caribbean.
"Tourists have the ability to create change by voicing their concerns in
writing and with their dollars," said Anne Ostberg, program officer with
the Pegasus Foundation. "Many tourism destinations depend on tourism
dollars," added Daniel Morast, president of the International Wildlife
Coalition. "If tourists let local governments, hotel operators and others
know that they will not return to a particular location until animals are
better treated, it is likely that people will listen and respond. On the other
hand, tourists can encourage those that care for animals by visiting places
that are animal-friendly."
Interested individuals can sign up for the free Compassionate Traveler monthly
E-mail alert by visiting the Web site at: www.compassionatetraveler.org
For more information, contact: info@compassionatetraveler.org
Anne Ostberg
Communications Director/Program Officer
The Pegasus Foundation
27 Merrimack Street
Concord, New Hampshire 03301
USA
Phone: 603-225-3918
Fax: 603-225-4624
E-mail: aostberg@pegasusfoundation.org
Web site: www.pegasusfoundation.org
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~9~
A Prayer For Little Paws
Author Unknown
This is a prayer for little paws
All up and down the land
Driven away, no friendly voice,
Never an outstretched hand.
For weary little paws of beasts
Torn and stained with red.
And never a home and never a rest
Til little beasts are dead.
Oh God of homeless things, look down
And try to ease the way
Of all the little weary paws
That walk the world today.
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~10~
Memorable Quote
"We who choose to surround ourselves with lives even more temporary than
our own, live within a fragile circle, easily and often breached.
Unable to accept its awful gaps, we still would live no other way.
We cherish memory as the only certain immortality,
never fully understanding the necessary plan."
~ Irving Townsend
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Susan Roghair - EnglandGal@aol.com
Animal Rights Online
P O Box 7053
Tampa, Fl 33673-7053
http://www.oocities.org/RainForest/1395/
-=Animal Rights Online=-
«¤»¥«¤»§«¤»¥«¤»§«¤»¥«¤»§«¤»¥«¤»§«¤»¥«¤»§«¤»¥«¤»§«¤»¥«¤»
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