PETA Campaigns Against Dog And Cat Breeders
This billboard in New York is part of PETA’s campaign against cat and dog breeders.
Over the next few months, PETA will be posting up billboards and putting out the message that people should not buy animals from breeders or pet stores. They want to emphasize to the public that millions of animals are dying in shelters, and when a person buys a pet from a breeder or store, that means one less home for a shelter animal.
PETA says the real villains are the animal breeders. They state that breeders are contributing to the animal population epidemic in the country and are also making a profit off of it.
In response to PETA’s campaign against them, some breeders have fought back and said that responsible breeders are not the cause of animal overpopulation problems. They also said that many breeders help breed rescues and animal shelters.
Breeders have stated that PETA’s campaign does not reflect the difference between responsible breeders and backyard breeders and puppy mills. They said this is a complex issue, and PETA’s response to it is extremely black and white.
Some also said that many of the animal overpopulation problems result from people not spaying or neutering and allowing unwanted litters to be produced and irresponsible pet ownership.
Instead of PETA trying to campaign against breeders, they said animal groups and organizations should work together to help animals in shelters.
Source: PETA
(Thanks Jodi)
September 13th, 2007 at 1:41 pm
CorgiPants:
Maybe you forgot that PETA has had an enormous effect on the way corporations treat animals.
~ More than 550 cosmetics companies do not test products on animals as a result of PETA efforts. [Remember those Draize tests on rabbits?]
~ They got GM to stop conducting crash tests on pigs and ferrets.
~ PETA convinced Mobil, Texaco, Pennzoil, Shell, and other oil companies to cover their exhaust stacks after showing how millions of birds and bats became trapped in the shafts and were burned alive.
There are many feats. Those of you who dislike PETA or have become disenchanted with them or their practices might at least give them some credit where it is due. Click on this link and select a year and you will see some startling reminders of the good they have done.
http://www.peta.org/feat/PETAMilestones/main.html
September 13th, 2007 at 3:54 pm
Lynn, what PETA did twenty or thirty years ago doesn’t alter, excuse, or mitigate what they’re doing now. Ingrid Newkirk is dedicated to the mission of eliminating ALL domestic animals; she doesn’t want pets to exist at all, and there is nothing responsible breeders could do to convince her and her crew that they’re not the bad guys, because in her mind, the simple fact that they do not neuter or put down all their animals without ever breeding another litter, proves that they’re the bad guys.
PETA wants all intentional breeding to stop. No exceptions for working stock dogs, S&R dogs, guide dogs for the blind, etc., because the whole idea of using animals in any way for human benefit is anathema to them. They want all our pets to come from the shelters. And they want all the shelter animals neutered before they leave the shelter. Now, answer me this: If no intentional breeding is allowed, and all random breeding is prevented, how long before we have no dogs? No cats?
Defending PETA now on the basis of what they did many years ago is like defending a serial killer against the charge of murder on the grounds that, as a boy, he was kind to his mother.
As for responsible breeders: no human effort is 100% successful, but responsible breeders’ failure rate (measured in dogs or cats winding in shelters, or pet-quality anmals not being neutered, or animals winding up as breeders for BYBs or puppy mills) is vanishingly low. Responsible breeders are not the source, or part of the source, of the shelter over-population problem, and have nothing to prove, whether to PETA, or to you.
My dog is a Chinese Crested Powderpuff–12.5 pounds sopping wet, friendly, good with cats, good with kids, energetic and athletic enough to enjoy long walks, some hiking, or playing fetch in the yard, but not needing two or three hours of running every day. When I was at my local shelter recently dropping off some food, I took a walk through the dog pavilion: lots of bigger dogs, mostly pit mixes or Lab mixes, athletic, high-energy big dogs that I couldn’t provide enough exercise for, many of whose cages bore signs saying that they couldn’t be confined in a pen because they are athletic dogs who jump Not on people, but over things.
And there were two elderly Bichons with medical problems–not horrible ones, these dogs would make good pets for an older person looking for one or two quiet indoor companions. Asking them to keep up with my daily walks in all weather, though, would constitute abuse.
And that’s normal in this area, not a skewed one-day picture. Most of the dogs in shelters around here are dogs I just couldn’t possibly provide a home for. So, if I want a dog (and I do) what are my choices? What do you want to be my choices? Ingrid Newkirk wants my choice to be the big, over-energetic shelter dog, or nothing–and she’d kill all the pit mixes, narrowing the choices even further.
September 13th, 2007 at 3:56 pm
Then site above is hardly objective and who knows what is true and what is not. PETA is not known for their veracity that’s for sure. Well I am PETA”d out.
September 13th, 2007 at 4:12 pm
Whether you like PETA, don’t like PETA, or somewhere in between, I think in the long run this will hurt many animal advocate people.
I respect the many great things PETA has done to educate me and the public on many things.
I also disagree greatly on how they tend to skew facts for “the greater good.” (Causing many false campaigns to be lodged against them.)
Mostly I tired of them doing stupid stuff like this that the general public will look at and equate to “all those dog rescue people are like that.” It really hurts some of us to be considered “crazy animal ladies” when we are trying to educate people.
Attacking all breeders is not the solution. Yes there are fewer responsible breeders than there are their couterparts, but attacking will not help in the long run. Sigh.
–Kristy
September 13th, 2007 at 6:01 pm
[…] reported on Itchmo.com and elsewhere, PETA has begun one of their publicity stunt campaigns, this one directed against […]
September 13th, 2007 at 8:10 pm
Demonizing breeders will not solve the problem. Anyone in rescue knows that August is one of the worst months with tons of dogs coming in. The cute puppy parents go for their 12 year old is given up because the kid is now going to college and the parents don’t want to take care of the dog.
The biggest problem….owners think dogs are disposable. Not only do they dump their current dog at the local shelter, but the next day they’re shopping for a new puppy in front of a grocery store or at a local park. These same careless owners are the ones that allow their dogs to roam the neighborhood and get pregnant.
What breeders do (not careless owners, breeders) is insure the health and safety of their dogs. Most national breed clubs have their own version, but here is an example of the Code of Ethics that most breeders adhere to: http://www.breeders.net/code_of_ethics.html
Want to drastically lower euthanasia rates? Advocate the only program that has proven successful: http://www.nokilladvocacycenter.org/
Unfortunately it takes a Animal Control Manager with insight which is getting more and more difficult to find.
September 13th, 2007 at 9:25 pm
To Lis [re September 13th, 2007 at 3:54 pm]: “Lynn, what PETA did twenty or thirty years ago doesn’t alter, excuse, or mitigate what they’re doing now.”
If you had taken the time to trace back through the thread you would have seen that I was responding to the question about what good PETA had done in the past. At no time was my intent to negate unsavory practices.
September 13th, 2007 at 9:28 pm
Why is it that so many of you are quick to say what’s wrong and point fingers, but don’t offer a viable solution?
September 13th, 2007 at 9:34 pm
Re Kathleen’s 8:10 PM comment: “The biggest problem….owners think dogs are disposable.”
Very true. And why? Because pets are so plentiful. Old “supply and demand” economic laws. Consider HOW they came to be so plentiful. [Do some reverse engineering.]
September 13th, 2007 at 10:08 pm
What an absolutely disgusting, distasteful ad & what a punch in teh stomach to responsible breeders everwhere!
We have every right to purchase healthy pets from any breeder we choose, and not have to be guilted into adopting from a shelter. How dare they equate purchasing a well bred pup - or ANY pup with the death of a shelter dog? Does it occur to them that many people would not consider the pound as a viable place to acquire an animal? No, I’m sure it doesn’t. All that matters to PETA is THEIR secular progressive views, their opbjectives, their opinions.
I should expect no more from an organization that would place as much value on the life of a child as that of an animal. Yes, I should expect this, but yet I cannot help the revulsion and SHOCK I am feeling.
I AM PROUD TO BE A BREEDER. I don’t care about shelter dogs I care about MY dogs, and the *welfare* of my pups. I am equally as PROUD of the homes my pups are in. May I add that many of the same homes that previously did own a shelter dog now have a pup from me, and they deliberately sought out a breeder because of all this AR sentiment dogs that should be destroyed at the pound are being allowed to live, to be adopted out to families with children. Its a shame PETA doesn’t realize there is no overpopulation problem save for their imagination - overcrowding in shelters because of stupid owners, yeah. But overpopulation? I work with a private cat/small dog rescuer (imagine that, a murderer breeder working with rescue @@) who people are flocking to in LIEU of going to a shelter here in NYC.
Oh well, I hope everyone who agrees with PETA eventually gets their wish. Because you know, do the math. You spay and neuter everything that walks and soon there will be no more darling shelter dogs in certain areas of the country ::cough:: california ::cough:: That’ll spread, and give it oh, 20-30 more years of that and NO ONE will own a dog.
Sorry for the rant, but the shock of this disgusting advertisements still has not even wore off yet … appaling.
September 13th, 2007 at 10:23 pm
“THEIR secular progressive views”
Please don’t blame secular and progressive people for this nonsense.
September 13th, 2007 at 10:28 pm
And I don’t know about dogs, but there is huge overpopulation of cats–far more than can be taken care of by anyone who cares for cats and, at the same time, taken care of well.
“You spay and neuter everything that walks and soon there will be no more darling shelter dogs in certain areas of the country ::cough:: california ::cough:: That’ll spread, and give it oh, 20-30 more years of that and NO ONE will own a dog.”
You don’t agree with spay and neutering animals then, especially those not intended for breeding by reputable breeders?
September 13th, 2007 at 11:27 pm
I agree with you all regarding responsible breeders, responsible owners and irresponsible PETA. It serves no purpose to reitierate what has already been stated many times in this thread.
Of course, I know the AsocialApe is simply a PETA plant, or is it HSUS?
” people that are actually kind, whether they’re in PETA, HSUS, or whatever, love _animals_ not breeds. ”
LOL! Kind? These are the people who murder kittens and puppies - that’s so kind - and bury them in dumpsters. They are self serving organizations, run by self serving individuals who could care less about domesticated animals. Their goal is to end the existance if domesticated animals. Actually if the truth be known they would probably end the existance of all animals. With this kind of love, animals will cease to exisit!
“so keep up your self serving breeder apologist statements trucorgi, but i know, and i’m pretty sure _you_ know, that you’re FOS, and know that you and your ilk are part of the problem, and what you’re doing is immoral, and wholly self serving.” More of the pot calling the kettle black!
As for pitbulls, I doubt seriously that most people could deferentiate them from several other breeds. (There is a test online somewhere with photos and most people score very low.) THE BREED IS NOT NEVER HAS BEEN THE PROBLEM! It’s the owners that are the problem. Any of them can be rehabilitated - of course this can’t be done by everyone, but it can be done. The drive-by media has created a frenzy regarding this breed that is not deserved. That aside - the HSUS stated that Michael Vick’s dogs must be destroyed but they cannot be rehabilitated. Sounds as if they are on the same page as Ingrid. (…and no I don’t breed pits, nor do I have one - but I would when I have the room).
What I would like to say is to the people who are donating money to these so called animal advocates, such as PETA, HSUS and Best Friends, to name a few - please research where your money is going and what it is being used for. And do not do your research on the sites set up by these organizations. If you want to donate money to actually help animals, there are many rescue organizations - pure breed and mixed - cat and dog and horse. Donate money to them - again do your research first as there are collectors and wackos there, too. There are elderly people who can’t afford medical attention for both themselves and their pets - give your money to help one of them. There are soldiers being deployed to Iraq, who are forced to take their pets to a shelter, because they can’t find anyone to care for them - take in one of these pets - at least until the soldier returns, service dogs of all kinds are needed all over the world - donate to one of them. There are so many worthwhile organizations that actually help both animals and people - no one should at a loss as to where to redirect the donations formerly given to PETA, et al.
PETA KILLS DOGS AND CATS!
(I guess that kills their “chances,” too, huh?)
September 13th, 2007 at 11:29 pm
“Consider HOW they came to be so plentiful. [Do some reverse engineering]”
nobody in this thread needs to do reverse engineering. the problem source has been defined by many. PUPPY MILLS, BYB’s and irresponsible owners. NOT the reputable breeders who PETA is attacking. they need to take their dollars and go after the big guys, NOT the little guys. got it? that sign should read pet stores here in NYC. i’m sure we have more pet stores than responsible breeders. we also have impulse buyers etc. THAT is a problem here. NOT the responsible breeder. maybe where you live, responsible breeders are causing a problem, but they are NOT causing a problem here in NYC where that offensive billboard is. here’s an idea, why doesn’t PETA work to make internet sales of animals illegal? the internet has been a boon for puppy mills and byb’s. got credit card? overnight shipping available.
Christine,
“and they deliberately sought out a breeder because of all this AR sentiment dogs that should be destroyed at the pound are being allowed to live, to be adopted out to families with children.”
no dog that SHOULD be destroyed is being allowed to live. dogs that SHOULDN’T be destroyed are being given a CHANCE to live. i would hope that you understand that and educate people who don’t vs just selling them a dog. education is what we NEED. most people i know working in the shelter system are animal WELFARE, not AR. they are not out to put dangerous dogs in homes. any home, kids or not.
September 14th, 2007 at 12:03 am
“I AM PROUD TO BE A BREEDER. I don’t care about shelter dogs…”
Nice. Thanks for reinforcing a number of my earlier opinions.
September 14th, 2007 at 12:33 pm
Christine, what an amazing rant! And so counter-productive for your own interests!
Does it occur to them that many people would not consider the pound as a viable place to acquire an animal?
The pound can be an excellent place to acquire an animal, IF your needs and what they have available matches up. Just recently my local pound had possession, for a few days, of a dog my sister might well have adopted, if his owners hadn’t turned up to claim him the day before he would hav gone into the adoption program. Friendly, healthy, and a high-energy larger dog: a dog well-suited to be the running partner she’s looking to add to her household in the next year or so.
All that matters to PETA is THEIR secular progressive views, their opbjectives, their opinions.
News flash: this isn’t a left/right issue, and PETA is not in any way, shape, or form, “progressive.” They are extremist, radical nutcases, and their extremism and radicalism is not related to any normal political concerns of anyone on the left or right of normal political divides. Which is to say, you’re slagging off quite a few of your allies, if your goal is to proserve your right to be a responsible breeder.
I don’t care about shelter dogs I care about MY dogs, and the *welfare* of my pups.
Most responsible breeders care about both, are involved in breed rescue, support their local shelters if they are well-run, and try to encourage improvements if they are not currently well-run.
May I add that many of the same homes that previously did own a shelter dog now have a pup from me, and they deliberately sought out a breeder because of all this AR sentiment dogs that should be destroyed at the pound are being allowed to live, to be adopted out to families with children.
“Should be destroyed” ? The dogs that should be euthanized(either dangerous, or suffering from medical conditions that won’t allow them an adequate quality of life) are euthanized. The dogs that are put up for adoption are dogs that will make the right families wonderful pets. Most of these dogs are in the shelter through no fault of their own, but through either the misfortune, or the stupidity and indifference, of their previous owners. You even indicate about a paragraph lower that you know that owner stupidity is responsible for many of these dogs being in shelters. Do the dogs deserve to die because of owner stupidity? Or do you believe that they deserve to die simply for being, mostly, mutts? The tone of your comments almost sounds like that!
I’ve had wonderful pets from shelters, and wonderful pets from breeders. Sometimes one is the right choice, and sometimes the other is–but when you’ve made the right choice for your circumstances at the time, they’re equally wonderful, loving pets.
Oh, and most people working in shelters are Animal Welfare people, not Animal Rights people. Do you know the difference?
I work with a private cat/small dog rescuer (imagine that, a murderer breeder working with rescue @@) who people are flocking to in LIEU of going to a shelter here in NYC.
It’s not a competition, Christine, and the shelters are not the enemies of rescues (or, usually, vice versa. Your rescue excepted, apparently.)
The goal in each case is to save the lives of the animals and get them into the right, forever homes. Or at least, that’s usually the case. Your comments do make me wonder what the policy of your rescue group is, towards mutts or badly-bred dogs whose previous owners were “stupid.”
September 14th, 2007 at 12:43 pm
Regarding Liz’s comment, “How long before we have no dogs/cats?” Thousands of years is the answer. Liz, there are so many babies in shelters that have no home. I think you need to visit them every 2 weeks. You won’t see the same dogs/cats there each time. Because the ones that didn’t get adopted, got euthanized. It is a terrible waste of life. I love animals so much, that I have always thought of breeding and selling animals as auction blocks for slaves. What price do we sell people for? I feel that my dogs are my daughter and son. If they had puppies, thay would be my grandchildren. Let’s see, How much should I sell them for? And yes, my babies are rescues from the pound, as always.
Dee Eagle
September 14th, 2007 at 12:47 pm
Same Liz, later on? “I don’t care about shelter dogs, I care about my dogs and pups”. Never mind, Liz, you are too sick.
Dee Eagle
September 14th, 2007 at 1:52 pm
Dee Eagle,
You keep referring to “Liz”–it was Christine.
September 14th, 2007 at 2:27 pm
All this from the organization that says if you eat meat, you can’t be an environmentalist and are contributing to “global warming”. And the same people who were all screaming about how pit bulls should be obliterated, yet suddenly changed their tune once the Vick thing came along just so they could get some good publicity.
Truly good breeders keep pets OUT of the shelter. They screen their potential clients. They watch for known breed problems and try their hardest to keep things like hip dysplasia and bad temperments out of the gene pool. They will take a dog back if the owner can’t take care of it.
You want the source of shelter overpopulation? It’s stupid people. It’s people who breed for money. It’s people who do NOT take into account that dogs don’t train or excersize themselves, and get a big, energetic dog simply based on what it looks like. Even dogs adopted from the shelter many times just end up going back to the shelter because people just DO NOT bother to learn about breeds or have absolutely no time for any dog. My dog was in and out of the shelter twice just because none of his previous owners took into account that belgian tervuren mixes are very, VERY high energy. To them he just looked cute.
Stop puppymills. Stop getting dogs based on a whim. Do a little research of your desired breed or mix first. But don’t go attacking one group blindly while totally ignoring the realm facts of the matter.
Screw you, Peta.
September 14th, 2007 at 3:02 pm
Dee Eagle says:
September 14th, 2007 at 12:43 pm
Regarding Liz’s comment, “How long before we have no dogs/cats?†Thousands of years is the answer. Liz, there are so many babies in shelters that have no home. I think you need to visit them every 2 weeks. You won’t see the same dogs/cats there each time. Because the ones that didn’t get adopted, got euthanized. It is a terrible waste of life. I love animals so much, that I have always thought of breeding and selling animals as auction blocks for slaves. What price do we sell people for? I feel that my dogs are my daughter and son. If they had puppies, thay would be my grandchildren. Let’s see, How much should I sell them for? And yes, my babies are rescues from the pound, as always.
Dee Eagle
Leaving aside the fact that you can’t seem to distinguish me from Christine, whom I was responding to and disagreeing with, I do want to respond to one point.
Responsible breeders are not breeding for money. They barely break even, and go to considerable effort to get their babies into the right homes, where they will be safe and loved and cared for. And neutered, btw. They take back any dog at any time, if the owner can’t keep it for any reason. Dogs from responsible breeders are not the ones crowding the shelters.
If all breedings banned, and all dogs and cats must be neutered before they leave the shelter, no, you are not talking about “thousands of years” before there are no dogs and cats to adopt. In the Northeast and the Northwest, shelters are bringing in adoptable dogs from parts of the country where the message of spay/neuter has not been as effectively transmitted–i.e., for the kinds of dogs people want, in these areas we already have “no homeless dogs” and have to bring them in from up to 1500 miles away, from areas where they still are “surplus.” The dogs who are sitting in shelters for more than a few days are the dogs that are genuinely harder to place: larger, higher-energy, may be of a breed that has a bad reputation, etc. Not everyone who wants a dog can take these dogs, no matter how much they care. And in order to reduce their numbers, it’s not the responsible breeders we need to shut down; it’s the puppy mills, the backyard breeders, the “just one litter” folks.
September 14th, 2007 at 4:28 pm
Christine, how in your right mind can you say that there is NO pet overpopulation problem? OMG, have you walked outside your door lately? You have no idea what you are talking about. Millions of animals are killed in shelters every year because there are not enough homes. Two unaltered cats and their offspring can produce 420,000 cats/kittens in ONLY 7 years. You say you don’t care about shelter dogs. Well, YOU are exactly the kind of breeder that those of us in rescue are trying to put out of business. Do you follow up with everyone who has every bought a dog from you? Probably not. Do you offer to take the dog back if something should happen down the road? Probably not. I am in contact with every person who has ever adopted from me and I take them back if they can no longer keep them. Also, I do not PROFIT off the backs of my animals. I spend much much more vetting them than I get as an adoption fee. So don’t you date point the finger at rescue people and don’t you dare sit there in judgment of us, because we are the ones picking up the pieces of the broken lives that you and people like you continue to pump out and sell to the public. And in case you were wondering, a study was done (and this does not include ferals) if all the cats in all the shelters in the US were to be placed in homes, every home in the US would have 7 cats. Now, try and tell me there is not a pet overpopulation problem. Also, while Labs are the number one dog in the US, they are also the number one euthanized dog in the US. Also, there is breed specific rescue for every breed of domestic animal out there, yet you keep breeding and breeding and breeding and we keep rescuing. I say KUDOS to PETA for bringing this to people’s attention.
September 14th, 2007 at 5:46 pm
Lis,
i have to wonder what cat/small dog rescue she *works* with and if they are a part of the Mayors Alliance which works directly with the city shelters to save dogs/cats that need out. not ones that SHOULD be euthed, but ones that shouldn’t be and just need a chance. if they do, seems like they need to inform their people what the process is here ;)
and yes, us radical extremist shelter workers serve up plenty of meat at our get togethers, lol!~ one guy i know makes some kick butt bbq chicken ;)
September 14th, 2007 at 6:11 pm
Taylor, whether or not Christine is a truly responsible breeder, the fact remains that the dogs and cats in shelters do not come from responsible breeders–people who do the exact same thing with the dogs you foster and adopt out: screen applicants for the pups, have contracts requiring the pup be spayed/neutered if it is not already when it leaves for its new home, require that the dog be returned to them if at any point, for any reason, the buyer/adopter cannot keep it. Responsible breeders do follow up; my contract with Addy’s breeder requires me to send pictures on a regular basis, among other things.
Responsible breeders have an extremely low “failure rate”, measured in dogs or cats not spayed/neuterd, and dogs and cats that wind up in shelters. And they don’t profit from their animals, either; in a good year, they might sorta kinda break even, if you overlook the cost of toys and treats. The “purebreds” in shelters come from backyard breeders and especially puppy mills–and if all pets came originally from responsible breeders, the shelters would be almost empty. (There would still be an irreducible minimum of dogs and cats left homeless because of tragedies befalling their human families.) But PETA wants to obscure the difference between puppy millers and responsible breeders who are as careful with the placement of their pups and kittens, because their goal isn’t that all dogs and cats should have safe, loving homes; their goal is that domestic dogs and cats should not exist. If you are a pet lover, please don’t fall for their propaganda!
Straybaby–I could go for some good bbq right about now! :)
September 15th, 2007 at 9:13 pm
Gotta love it!!
One of the holier than thou breeders lets out their secrets about why breeders hate PETA so much, and why they hate these billboards
Check out the comments by Kelly
http://blog.peta.org/archives/.....p#comments
and
http://blog.peta.org/archives/.....p#comments
I also love the breeder comments about how mixed breed dogs are all scum. Holy moley! Yuck!
September 20th, 2007 at 4:19 pm
Okay, I will give you that there are SOME responsible breeders out there; however, for every 1 good breeder, there are THOUSANDS such as the following. Oh, and Christine, you tell me that there isn’t a problem after reading this and we could have something to discuss, but the way I see it, nuff said:
BY STACY HUDSON ARKANSAS DEMOCRAT-GAZETTE
An Arkadelphia couple faces 172 animal-cruelty charges after Little Rock Animal Services employees discovered more than 90 dogs, cats and birds in the back of a U-Haul truck Friday night.
Volunteers with the agency and the Humane Society of Pulaski County worked from 5 p.m. Friday until about 2 a.m. Saturday evaluating the conditions of “70-something dogs, 11 birds and four cats” outside the U-Haul store at 4809 W. 65th St., said Tracy Roark, animal services manager.
The animals had been in the truck, which had broken down, for at least two days, authorities said. Most of them were purebred, small dogs such as Chihuahuas, Pekingese, poodles and terriers.
“They were in pretty bad shape,” Roark said. “We’ve not seen anything in the city like this.”
Johnny Franklin Maynard, 42, and Sharon Ann Maynard, 54, both of 2460 Hasley Road in Arkadelphia, were to appear in Little Rock District Court on Monday.
A Little Rock city ordinance allows for a fine of up to $500 for each violation, Roark said.
The Maynards were each charged with 92 counts of neglect and 80 counts of failure to provide medical aid.
“Cruelty includes physical abuse and abuse by neglect, which is failure to provide adequate shelter, food, water and medical care,” according to Little Rock’s Web site.
Six volunteers helped rescue the animals, which were in wire cages lined up in rows and stacked inside the unventilated truck, said Kay Jordan, executive director of the county Humane Society.
“The birds … there were a few in birdcages sitting around outside on the ground, and then there were some birds in little pet taxis” in a vehicle being towed by the U-Haul truck, Jordan said. “All the rest of ‘em were piled up — it was either four or five layers … on each side of the inside of the truck. Then there were pet taxis that, we figured … had some cats and dogs in them that they had set in the middle between the tiers of cages.”
Some of the cages had to be cut open to get the animals out, and the stench of the truck was “toxic,” Jordan said.
“There was urine and feces coming out of the back of the truck,” she said.
Desiree Bender, state director of the Humane Society of the United States, said she suspected the animals came from a puppy mill and were being sold to pet stores.
“Arkansas is one of the top nine puppy-mill states in the United States,” Bender said.
A phone number listed for the Maynards’ home in Arkadelphia went unanswered Saturday night.
Bender said she feared the animals had been kept in the cages for a while.
“Inside this U-Haul truck was the equivalent of a garage that had dogs in it for months and years,” she said. “These dogs, we had to yank them, pull them totally out of those crates. We had a hard time getting a lot of them out because they wouldn’t come out.”
As of Saturday night, all the animals were being cared for by the city and the Humane Society.
Animal-welfare advocates in Arkansas have been working to establish stiffer penalties for cruelty to animals.
Two bills that would have made animal cruelty a f elony on either the first or second offense failed in the Legislature earlier this year.
Currently, the crime is a misdemeanor
September 27th, 2007 at 11:11 am
For those not convinced that there is a PROBLEM with breeding animals, just read this news story. YEP, that’s right, ANOTHER BREEDER shut down for being a puppy mill. You people who try to claim that we NEED breeders are living in a fantasy land where everyone gets along and no animals are tortured, killed or suffer for profit. WAKE UP!!!
More Than 240 Dogs Seized From Puppy Mill
They were living in their own filth and they were not being cared for, that is how Maura Davies of the SPCA of Texas describes the scene she saw.
“It’s the worst I’ve seen in years,” she said.
Cage after cage, kennel after kennel, dogs and puppies were found underfed, neglected and malnourished on a piece of property just outside of Gladewater.
“It’s extremely disgusting,” said Davies. “There’s feces everywhere, there’s junk everywhere. The animals are just living in the most horrid conditions I can imagine.”
Yorkshire Terriers, Pomeranians, Boston Terriers, other small breeds of dog were locked up and used for breeding in a puppy mill–one of the worst Upshur County officials say the have ever seen.
“This is the first time I’ve seen any situation when there’s this many dogs in one place,” said Upshur County Sheriff Anthony Betterton. “You hear of puppy mills everyday but you never really expect it until you come out to a situation like this.”
More than 240 dogs were found all over the property. Some dogs were already dead and others were saved in the nick of time because someone stumbled across the surprising sight.
Upshur County officials say a man discovered the dogs when he came to the property looking to buy a camper trailer, but what he saw prompted him to get some food for all the mistreated animals.
“Hopefully, at the end of the day, every one of these dogs will be going to a place where they can be taken care of and built back up,” said Sheriff Betterton.
The SPCA of Texas had that same hope as they carried dog after dog away from the property to where officials say they can get the proper care they need.
“The way it seems to me is that the individuals that owned this property and was taking care of these dogs were looking out for greed, money, and whatever they could make off of these animals,” said Betterton. “That’s just totally embarrassing. It’s uncalled for and it’s inhumane.”
More than 240 animals saved today and countless animals rescued from years of abuse.
Layron Livingston, KLTV 7 News. llivingston@kltv.com
For more information on how to support the SPCA of Texas in their effort to help abused animals, click the Know More On 7 link, and click on the SPCA link.
October 4th, 2007 at 8:37 am
unpleasant surprise. The “animal rights” movement is not
what it claims to be. Animal rights activism is not ultimately about the
rights of animals at all, not in the sense that most pet lovers would think.
The title, “Animal Rights Movement” is much like the title “Moral
Majority”; most civilized people certainly would want to be thought of as
part of a “moral” group, if in name only. Similarly, an encyclopedia
salesman shrewdly asks “don’t you want your children to have a good
education?” knowing the reply of good parents everywhere will be
“yes”. The name “Animal Rights” deceptively causes many who anguish
over animal mistreatment to join ranks without examining the “fine print”
of this movement. What animal lover would say they don’t want a better
life for pets and livestock? The name creates instant agreement and
support, and gradually, patiently, “sells” the public on a set of almost
secret beliefs, slowly unveiling them through new laws, ads, and the
media, over a period of years. But this goes much deeper than just the
issue of domestic animals. It is a radical vision of the future, of a new
society, completely remade by different values and ideals. The
movement is based to a great extent on the writings of the professor
and author, Peter Singer, considered to be one of the foremost
respected and controversial philosophers of this era… and interestingly,
a grandson of concentration camp survivors.
He advocates granting certain species of animals more rights, more
“personhood” than certain developmentally disabled humans, such as
those with Downs syndrome, and that such “defective” humans should
be euthanized at birth, (even legally by their own parents).
One fundamental aspect of this view of the world is that animals belong
only in nature and not in human society, where they are simply exploited
and enslaved. This includes all animals, even our often overly-pampered
pets. Pets are seen as neurotic, distorted, and deformed by human
greed and whim. All animal breeding is seen as an abomination. The
creatures we have created, such as purebred dogs, cats, cattle, horses,
etc. are freaks, and best allowed to die out completely or even be killed
by turning them loose in the wild.. knowing they will die.
It is a grave mistake to take this lightly as too extreme to ever gain
foothold. It is already a powerful and insidious movement the world
over.
Unbelievable as it may seem, due to the incremental success toward
accomplishing their goals over the last 10-15 years, we may someday be
unable to have any sort of pets at all. Whether or not it ever reaches that
point, we will, without question, lose many things we now take for
granted. We already have, but it’s our nature to not really notice it, to
perhaps grumble a bit, but we go along with wherever the herd is being
herded (by media, politics, social pressure or expectations of rewards).
We eventually adapt to change, however unpleasant, and usually realize
there is little else we can do.
But what if the future brings us forced vegetarianism, if it even becomes
illegal to produce or eat meat, fish, eggs, milk, cheese? Or to raise or
keep any animal, even a bird or a fish? This is the future the Animal
Rights movement has in store for us if they reach their stated goals.
Even if companion animals aren’t eliminated, our ability to raise animals
will be either highly regulated to the point of being a major deterrent to
breeding them, or it may be so difficult to be able to legally have a pet,
that few will have that privilege.
The AR movement cannot be dismissed as just a bunch of kooks and
crazies. It is a highly organized movement driven by deep, well-
developed, philosophical convictions based on the view that Western
Christian-based societies are barbaric and doomed to self destruct,
taking the rest of the world with them. The foot soldiers of the movement
are usually unaware of the bottom-line agenda, or if they are, turn a blind
eye to it. They see how animals are actually being helped in some ways,
and so support the movement even if not in agreement with the final
ultimate agenda: the end of all domestic animals.
Behind the scenes, groups like PETA, and the Animal Liberation Front,
are contradicting the well-crafted, pro-animal, public image. There are
even incidents where members have adopted healthy puppies and
adults only to immediately euthanize them, (occurred recently in this
author’s hometown). “Rogue” members supposedly, claims PETA’s
(People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals) president, Ingrid Newkirk.
But this isn’t the first time. Killing animals “saves” them from this
distorted, unnatural life. ” PETA, the best known A.R. group, is not an
animal welfare organization.
PETA spends less than one percent of its multi-million dollar budget actually
helping animals. The group euthanized (killed) more than 1,900 animals in
2003 alone — that’s over 85 percent of the animals it received. In fact, from
July 1998 through the end of 2003, PETA killed over 10,000 dogs, cats, and
other “companion animals” at its Norfolk, Virginia headquarters. That’s
more than five animals every day. On its 2002 federal income-tax return,
PETA claimed a $9,370 expense for a giant walk-in freezer, the kind most
people use as a meat locker or for ice-cream storage. But animal-rights
activists don’t eat meat or dairy foods. So far, the group hasn’t confirmed
the obvious — that it’s using the appliance to store the bodies of its victims.”
(reprinted from consumerfreedom.com).
There is a brave new world gestating in the minds of AR adherents. They
see themselves as progressive visionaries, bringing light to a primitive
world in darkness. They are convinced these ideas must be translated
into world-wide laws, if the planet is to be saved from human greed,
destructiveness, and cruelty. Mankind is even considered by many, to be
a planetary infestation of the most destructive parasite on earth. The
A.R. movement has been developing over more than 30 years, as a
reaction to very real problems our society is faced with and has
unfortunately had little success in solving.
Much-needed animal welfare reforms over the years have resulted from
this activism, which unfortunately lends credibility to the movement,
enabling them to make headway in areas most who care about animals
consider harmful, when they see where it is leading. These efforts have
created strong supporters among Hollywood stars such as Doris Day,
Susan Sarandon, and other highly influential people, including the head
of the Humane Society of the U.S. itself, Wayne Pacell.
Whether or not aspects of their ideology have any merit, the threat of
losing a substantial amount of our freedom in the name of their cause is
real. Once lost, freedoms are almost never reinstated. Headway toward
legislating their convictions is moving forward, calculated to sneak up
on us under its many guises. It is perhaps only “helping” pets in our
terms, in order to get agreement and support, since the ultimate “help”
by their standards is to eliminate them. Their propaganda is a “Trojan
Horse” hiding their true agenda, thus minimizing resistance, and both
enlisting and deceiving the very people who will ultimately be hurt by
this, people who truly love animals.
Animal Rights in Europe.
In some areas of Europe, brachycephalic breeds (short noses) may soon
be eliminated, at least as we know them. Breeds with dwarfism,
hairlessness, wrinkled skin, etc. are included in this decision. A
European treaty that is, in effect, a major multi-species, multi-breed ban,
has been signed recently. It identifies numerous domestic animals, dogs,
cats, livestock etc (such as Bostons, English Bulldogs, Persians,
Munchkins and Sphynx cats to name a few) which are deemed by
veterinary decree, to be unnatural to the point of affecting animal health.
Many countries have ear cropping and tail docking bans, (which often
have a counter effect causing more people to import docked and
cropped dogs from overseas and not buy locally). Recently in Spain a
mandatory spay/neuter law passed without opposition. Electronic
training devices are outlawed in some countries, even electronic
fences, and furniture mats. You may think, “well these are good laws, we
need them too!”. Or,if you are on the other side of the fence “This is
America, it can’t possibly happen here!”. But it will happen, it already is.
By the time we wake up to it, we will have lost many small battles but
maybe not the war..and war it is…to them
In the USA
In the USA, various states have passed poorly written, ill-conceived laws,
in efforts to address problems that usually are actually enforcement
issues, and will not be solved by passing new laws with more
enforcement issues. Most of the current laws are adequate, but
inadequately implemented. Instead of finding ways to better enforce, it is
easier to just pass more laws, which gives the public image that there is
action taken to correct problems .
In some areas, pets are being seized from private property and
euthanized without even having displayed aggression, simply due to
their breed. This is a result of Breed-Specific Bans, enacted by people
who usually do not fully understand the issues, nor do they have all the
facts. The long-term consequences of such legislation are rarely studied.
There is a precedent-setting law that passed last year in Kentucky.
Animal Control Officers now have the right to come onto your property
and seize your dogs for any reason they think is justified, without a
warrant or due process, simply on their own judgement and
discretion…Then there is the bill in California, which would require all
dogs in the state to be spayed or neutered, with rare exceptions. The
bill has just been pulled at the last minute and will be presented again
when the time is right. San Antonio is trying to get a similar law passed.
Word is that a town in Oklahoma has passed such a law, more information
on this to come. Ohio is toying with a law to require background checks
and social security numbers on breeders of certain numbers of dogs. (If
any of this is inaccurate, please contact me and correct it)
There is a famous saying referring to the holocaust which is appropriate
here. Its message is basically, if you don’t stop the Gestapo from taking
your neighbors away (even if you are delighted to see them go) the
Gestapo will eventually come for YOU.
Keep track of legislation in both your hometown and federally, and learn
what can be done to protect your rights. Visit this outstanding web site:
join the forum! get informed!
Pet-Law Stafford 07
October 5th, 2007 at 3:19 am
If I wanted a shelter cat or dog, I’d get one! I like to know the history of my animals however and will accept nothing less than a purebred animal! Peta are a bunch of MURDERING IDIOTS! They need to shut up and go away! Peta would rather see an animal dead than happy and living with a family. How does that save animals???
October 5th, 2007 at 1:54 pm
I can’t take anything seriously when it comes from a terrorist organization. PETA kills animals. PETA threatens celebs who won’t lend their names to their campaigns. PETA threatens scientists. PETA sends letter bombs. PETA teaches students how to make bombs. PETA is perhaps the most hypocritical organization in America. PETA is cruel and full of …it.
October 9th, 2007 at 12:22 pm
I believe that you can both support PETA and have a small breeding/conformation showing hobby. I have fostered and rescued many mixed-breed dogs from our local shelter here… in fact, I now have two rescue dogs now that were on death row. Both are large mixed breeds, and both share my life. However, I also have and show a certain toy breed dog as well. Big or small, purebred or not, they all rush for the pillow/bed at night and love each other no matter who is purebred and who isn’t.
Basically, I don’t understand why the issue has to be one of black and white. I support certain things that PETA has done to protect animals. I have even been a PETA member in the past. For example, I support the way they have advocated for poor circus animals who suffer tremendously at the hands of brutal trainers. That should be applauded in my opinion.
At the same time, I can understand why a family or first time dog owner would prefer a purebred pet or certain breed. Oftentimes (but not always) there are less risks and behavioral issues, and you know what you are getting into. I have both and have experienced both.
I also think there are some “reputable breeders” who do not treat their animals well. These may be some of the top show dogs in the country, but are forced to travel with handlers for months on end with little attention and socialization. Some are debarked (cruel in my opinion!), some are packed into crates for hours at shows. Some are bred without regard to health or genetic issues because of cosmetic reasons. That is not my breeding philosophy, but it does exist in the high-class world of conformation showing, and we ALL know it! So, we aren’t innocent either.
So…in my opinion, there has to be a middle ground.
October 24th, 2007 at 1:29 pm
I found it funny how you can do a supposedly “neutral” story on this when right next to it is a ad for the exact same thing your reporting about. I right clicked it to view the “source” and it said …itchmo not google. So that tells me that your site is actually biased and leaning towards the side of PETA. As I said I will be emailing this to every breeder I can find now.
Here is what I have just published on my website after reading this story. I want to take this opportunity to inform the public about a
current ominous scheme to take all dog ownership rights
away from people like you and me. Recently PETA has
initiated a campaign attacking breeders of dogs and cats.
Throughout the country in major areas like New York have
been hosts to Peta Bill Boards discouraging the public from
buying from breeders. (Itchmo link to article)
There are a lot of extremist views on the internet by
rescues, shelters, and Pure Breed Enthusiasts. Believe it or
not there is a war going on between all three of these
industries too. Most breeders are like many democrats in
Congress and don’t want to make waves and fight back.
Why? All one has to do is follow the money trail that leads to
some of the biggest lobbyists for Pets. Just visit some of
these rescue sites to see what I mean. On almost every site
you will see a reference to the AKC. You will see
misinformation to out right lies about the breeding of mixed
breeds by these organizations. They all have PR firms or
divisions that perpetuate these lies. While there are good
legitimate rescues and shelters out there the bad ones and
the ones run just for tax breaks and other freebies are acting
like they live in the Wild Wild West and anything goes. It
doesn’t fly with me.
I am going to be presenting a lot of information about these
so called rescues and their tactics in trying to win over the
public at all costs.
Did you know that many breeders donate to places like the
SPCA , local shelters, and the Humane Society?
I used to foster Bassett Hounds for one of these rescue
organizations until I realized what they were doing. They
were driven by greed in my opinion rather than the welfare of
a lost or abused pet. While this is not indicative of all
rescues this is an example of a bad one. We applied to take
in Bassett Hounds for foster care until a permanent home for
them could be found. The agency did their check of the home
and concluded we could help them for an application fee of
200.00. We were breeders and we wanted to help and paid
the fee. We wanted to help some poor Bassett Hound that
was slated to be killed in shelters like they pitched it to us.
We also told them our limits for taking in dogs. We have five
children and did not want an aggressive dog. We paid for the
food and other expenses out of pocket for the dogs they
brought us. Then one day they brought us one that did good
the first day but that night she was laying on our couch while
my son (5yrs. old) was sitting next to her gently petting her
back while watching TV. All of a sudden she turned on him
and snapped at him. Had he not moved instantly would have
been bitten. My wife came into the room as I was telling the
dog NO and she tried to snap at my wife. We then called the
shelter after a few days and more of these instances to tell
them that we think the dog they brought us had an ear
infection and needed vet care. We took her to the vet paying
out of pocket and waited weeks to be reimbursed. The dog
still had issues so we called to tell them it wasn’t going to
work out with this particular dog. They said ok we’ll reevaluate
her and after 2 more weeks sent someone to pick her up.
We then received another. We went to meet the guy bringing
the dog and he let us in on a little secret. The dog was
picked up in someones front yard in an area near where he
worked and he and a friend had been sheltering it for a few
days. (No lost and found ad in the local paper just relocate
the dog asap. ) We got the dog home and started scouring
the local papers to see if someone had lost a dog and then
called shelters which is of course against the rescues
policies. We just hated to see a dog being stolen from their
environment and used in this way. The dog had been
basically stolen, transported across state lines and was due
to be transported to the head office in a few weeks. We never
did find the owner but given the tactics used to obtain the dog
we decided this was a practice we didn’t want to be part of.
Since then we moved to Giles County where there is a
tremendous amount of cats. We have some that we took in
and care for. In our county there are many calls to the police
dept. for animal control to remove an aggressive dog that
was obtained at our local shelter.
Many calls involve children and the elderly being backed into
a corner or bitten by the dogs. There is no socialization for
the dogs before they are placed and problems arise only to
have the dog eventually put to sleep for being too aggressive.
Many rescue agencies often get overwhelmed by the
dogs and cats they take in and then don’t have time for
individual attention for the dogs they have. I have seen
rescue dogs in front of our local Petsmart who have no hair
on their rear ends (and a file 3 inches thick from the vet)from
laying on concrete all day in cages. (That’s what the Rescuer
told me!) Then they too want 250.00 for an “adoption fee” ,
home visit, and etc…and then the dog still will not really be
mine? Reverse Psychology folks! It doesn’t work on
everyone but the people who really care are breeders. Most
will have the time to devote to them for exercise, play, and
other social interaction. Most breeders like me feed only the
best foods to their dogs and puppies. There are some that
are the bad apples and in it strictly for the money …cutting all
the corners they can but then there are those that would go
without a meal or two just to make sure their dogs get fed.
What I see a lot now on the internet is ridiculous! These
groups with all their backing are using forums to attack
breeders of mixed breed dogs. If you are considering getting
a mixed breed dog and go to Yahoo Answers for advice …I
hope you have a thick skin because by the time these
extremists are through with you you’ll want a robo dog from
the store instead of a live friendly companion. The tactics are
always the same…
They shame you for wanting a mixed breed…shame you for
where you bought it or are thinking about buying it. Then
tell you where to get one for “free” supposedly. They don’t
address the temperament issues or the fact that most of
these dogs are from abusive environments. They don’t care
about your safety just the dogs. They tell you that there are no
reputable mixed breed breeders when in fact there are …I
have 5 years worth of references to prove it. They are always
on a high horse about something attacking each other
personally and professionally whether it be the breed of dog,
the training, the feeding, the ownership… etc… Would you
really want to deal with these people? Try it sometime just
go on Yahoo Answers and pose the question ” Is a Puggle or
a Cockapoo right for me?” Then let the fireworks begin. If
your up to it.
The Rescues don’t have your best interests at heart. Some
will lie to you. They have no clue as to parentage, overall
weight at maturity (if it’s a puppy), past illnesses, future
genetic or hereditary problems (because they don’t know who
the parents are or what breed), they candidly state on these
message boards “above all else don’t buy from a breeder” ,
“buy from a rescue or pound” and throw the guilt on you again
by saying “save a life”. I’m all for it but I have my family to
consider. I don’t want huge vet bills that will require a
mortgage on my house to pay. All I’m saying is consider the
source of what you read and hear and always be objective
and not cave into guilt and shame or pressure to conform.
That’s how I live my life and it feels good.
We were on the news back in March 2007. Our local news
station did a story on hybrid puppies. They did a great story
to inform people of the non-shedding breeds (and they are
breeds) that are out there. Their office was inundated with
irate rescuers and animal rights activists (the extreme kind)
emailing and phoning in to tell the station how to run their
business and who they should be doing a story on…it was
basically bullying. Then we started getting hate mail from
members of these groups. I keep a record of them just in
case… we had a few posing as customers even come to our
home just to “look” at some puppies. We have video
cameras mounted just to record visits to protect us so I think
they were a bit concerned when they saw them and right
away one could tell that they weren’t here just to “look” at a
puppy.
These people think they are above the law. Take recently the
story of “Ellen”. The celebrity who obtained a dog from a
rescue and then by violating the agencies invalid contract (I
say invalid because the rescue was not in compliance with
California state law making said contract “illegal” )and giving
the dog to new owners who could care for it. The rescue
used their influence to get police to go in and seize the dog.
It was about Control and making a name for themselves.
While I don’t watch the Ellen show or even agree with some
of her views about things…heck I don’t watch anything but
animal planet and occasional movie…I don’t like the fact that
her or the families civil liberties were violated.
There are many out there that want to see pets eradicated
entirely…they may be coming for yours soon.
October 24th, 2007 at 5:28 pm
WHAT? RESCUE IS DRIVEN BY GREED. Are you f’ing kidding me. How stupid are you? I am not pumping out litters by the dozens and charging $1,600 PER KITTEN. I spent, out of my own pocket this year alone, well over $7,000 fostering/rescuing and adopting out cats and that amount includes ANY money I might have made back from an adoption fee, which, by the way, is ONLY $85 per cat. Hmmm, let me see, $150 to vet a kitten, well, one that is healthy, and I get back $85. RIGHT, I am motivated by greed. You, Michelle, are an idiot. Also, I foster for local shelters and I get NONE of the adoption fee for a fostered cat/kitten. One of which I jus spent $155 on one day and med for an URI at the vets office and the home care is nebulizing twice a day, meds twice a day and force feeding because he won’t eat on his own. HOW DARE YOU ACCUSE THOSE OF US WHO PUT OUR HEARTS AND SOULS INTO SAVING ANIMALS OF BEING MOTIVATED BY GREED. You need to go see the wizard to get not only a brain, but a heart as well. Basically, I am saying a big “SCR*W YOU”. “Pets eradicated” WHAT? Where are you getting your misinformation? I have cats in the double digits at my house, I support TNR, I manage several feral colonies because I don’t want animals put down. You tell me how saving an animal that has been tossed out of a car and spending well over $5,000 to save it’s life is greed or wanting to eradicate all animals. Pin head
October 25th, 2007 at 9:13 pm
You Taylor are showing your true colors for all the world to see. I didn’t resort to infantile tactics, profanity, and name calling as you did. How old are you? I have a 16 year old and when she uses bad words I wash her mouth out with soap. Sounds like you need a good gargle of it to me. It sounds to me like you need to do your home work on matters of public record before getting all over zealous and upset. One thing I noticed in almost every case of rescue people like you (not all) they love to brag about how much money they had to spend on something and then most have mouths like yours. If I were a cat living under your roof with a mouth like yours …I’d be worried for my safety!
October 25th, 2007 at 9:32 pm
By the way I guess I should have said this is Fred Dinwiddie , not Michelle although she feels the same way. So Taylor in the future please
direct your self-righteous…act…oops I mean accusations and insults to me because I’ve got time to kill.
October 25th, 2007 at 9:43 pm
By the way I guess I should have said this is Fred Dinwiddie , not Michelle although she feels the same way. So Taylor in the future please
direct your self-righteous…act…oops I mean accusations and insults to me because I’ve got time to kill. Oh and I’m sorry you took it so personally. What you failed to read was the actual post. In it I say follow the money. I did not criticize fellow animal lovers just the organizations they think they are helping. If you want to spend that kind of money on an injured cat …then more power to you. The point I was trying to make is that these organizations are manipulating everyone. They have a lawsuit for everyone and anything. I am all for animal rights and good treatment of all animals but I don’t take the publics money just to fund an organization that misuses the money, lie to the public about my hidden agenda, or go after anyone with money trying to sue them. Take a look at lawsuits brought on by animal rights groups…some are good but most are ridiculous and very transparent.
They
have breeders at each others throats Purebreed vs. mixed, rescues vs. shelters, responsible rescues vs hoarders claiming to be rescues…etc…by the way vet visits are usually 30-50.00 for a wellness exam. Please don’t inflate the charges.
October 26th, 2007 at 1:23 pm
Fred, I can send you a copy of the bill if you are calling me a liar, it was NOT JUST a wellness exam, and it was for one night stay, subQ fluids, medication, etc:
Combo Test: $38.00
7 Chlorphiniramine: $9.05
6 Cans A/D: $15.66
1 Night hospitalization: $40.00
1 Enisyl-F: $33.00
1 Fluids, SubQ – Feline: $20.00
1 Adoption exam: No charge
TOTAL $155.71 and these are at rescue rates
Don’t accuse me of inflating the prices, I ONLY state the facts. I would be more than happy to sit down with you and show you each and every detailed invoice for vetting. I have been in rescue for 10 years and I don’t bullshit about what it costs to care for an animal. I didn’t say a “wellness exam”, I said a kitten that had URI (upper respiratory infection) and he was very sick. The point I was trying to make is don’t accuse ALL rescue groups of being in it for greed because we sure the hell aren’t. We just took our first vacation in 10 years because of fostering and rescue. I do what I do because I love animals and I am not a fan of breeders because those pedigreed animals end up in a breed rescue program or at a shelter when the family gets tired of them. I am in contact with every person who has ever adopted from me and I always give them the option to bring the cat back if it does not work out. Yes, some bring them back, but at least this way, I know what has become of an animal that I have loved and cared for.
October 28th, 2007 at 1:30 pm
flora
Definitely, the most sensible thing i have seen in a long time.
October 29th, 2007 at 10:55 am
Fred, since when did cursing put an animal’s life in jeopardy:
“If I were a cat living under your roof with a mouth like yours …I’d be worried for my safety!”
What? because I used a version of the “f” word and said “scr*w you”, my animals are in mortal danger? AAAAAAAAAAAHAHAHAHAHA - you’re an idiot. Is that the best you got? Saying that my cats are in danger because I curse? Evidently, you have never worked around roughnecks, anyone in the oil and gas industry, lawyers, been in the south, watched TV, listened to any popular music or walked outside your house. Oh, and you don’t ever curse? Well, aren’t you special. Whatever, I stand behind what I said, pin head.
By the way, there are quite a few very rich and very intelligent comedians who make their living cursing on stage and people pay to see it. HMMMMMM, guess we should wash their mouths out with soap too? Or maybe we should take their animals away from them because they may curse and hurt them.
October 31st, 2007 at 10:02 am
TO ALL OF THE “ELITIST” ON HERE WHO SAY “I WOULD NEVER GET A DOG/CAT FROM A SHELTER, I WANT A PURE BREED”, well, you might be surprised to know that MOST of the animals in shelters are pure breeds and MANY of them come from cruelty seizures from puppy/kitten mills. The following is a poignant story about just such a dog that was on this week’s Petwarmers email. I am sure that those of you who breed and buy while shelter animals die, never read things such as this because as you have put it “who cares about shelter animals” (paraphrasing here) Well, there are many of us who care about ALL animals, not just the “PERFECT” pet. So, read and enjoy:
LOVING LOUIE
by Jaye Lewis
The first time he was placed into my arms, he was nothing but a
bag of bones — the product of a Dachshund puppy mill.
Louie had been starved nearly to death, and except for a few
unhealthy patches of hair, he was bald. Those dark, intelligent eyes
looked up into mine, as his drumming heart beat against my hand. At
that moment I made a promise, “No one will hurt you again.”
Puppy mills are the hidden holocaust of America. The suffering
these little dogs experience are beyond description. In the last six
months two puppy mills have been exposed and closed down in our
community. The owners have been brought to trial for animal cruelty,
and the dogs have been taken away.
Did you know that most rescue dogs are from closed down puppy
mills? The most popular victims are small breeds, however the
estimation of the number of suffering dogs of all breeds would shake
us to our souls if we only knew.
The little bag of bones that I held was a silver, dappled,
long-haired mini-Dachshund. Gentle and shy, he had been starved
because he had failed to breed. All of the Dachshunds were suffering
from malnutrition. The little dog I held was named “Louie” by the
veterinarian technician, who had already fallen in love with him.
It took five months to make Louie safe, and safety meant his
previous owner could never hurt him again. When I saw the bond
between Louie and his new caretaker, I promised that we would help
all we could to save that dog.
After many stumbles through the court system, all of the dogs
found homes. There was a list of close to 500 people who signed up
for 44 dogs. We were too far down on the list to even be considered.
It was touching how their new owners’ hearts were swayed just to see
the poor abused Dachshunds.
But where were those people before? Where were they when the
shelter had to put down hundreds of dogs because there were not
enough people looking to save the life of just one unwanted dog?
It’s true that we cannot do everything, but we could do one
thing. We could save one dog or one cat. If not forever, we could
foster a rescue dog until a forever home is found.
We have four dogs in our household. You cannot take a step in
our house without squeaking a toy or a ball. It’s like living in
kindergarten. Our dogs are well behaved (for dogs); and they give us
much joy. Our biggest dog is a rescue dog. He is not the brightest
and he has some behavior problems that must be dealt with every day,
but he is alive and he is loved. He is safe and happy.
Little Louie was adopted by his new mommie — the same vet tech
who fell in love with him that first day. To see him look into her
eyes and know, “She loves me. She’ll protect me,” is a joy beyond
measure! He has long, silky, silver hair now, and though tiny, one
can no longer feel his bones.
He has everything a dog could want. Love. Care. And a forever home.
Perhaps you have room in your heart for a rescue dog. I can
promise you that what you give will never compare to what you will
receive in return.
November 1st, 2007 at 3:54 pm
I hate PETA, but hate breeders more.
Their is truth to their claims with this one.
Breeders are in for the money while homeless animals die.
its a rush to service a vain market of middle class urbanites.
Breeders should be put out of buisness. period.
good or bad ethics is not the point. every second hundreds of unwanted/abandoned animals die while breeders make hundreds on their “products”
November 1st, 2007 at 5:25 pm
Middlecat, I agree with you. PETA is not one of my favorite organizations but in this case, I do agree with them. There are way too many unwanted animals in this world and animals will always find a way to reproduce. We don’t need people FORCING them to reproduce for profit. Every day I hear about a puppy/kitten mill being closed down and the horrible conditions the animals were found in or I hear about yet another pet store selling sick kittens and puppies. It is truly sad that some people can’t see past their pocketbook and don’t see animals as feeling, loving, sentient beings but as “possessions” to be bought and sold :(
November 2nd, 2007 at 1:45 pm
CHECK OUT THE SITE BELOW! THIS GUY IS SOME ROLE MODEL!!! He is taking dogs from BREEDERS who think the dogs are past their “sell by” date or the ones that the breeders think have “imperfections” and from horrid puppy mills.
For all of you Animal Lovers,
Cut and past on the below link, trust me it is well worth reading!
http://www.philly.com/inquirer.....imals.html
December 5th, 2007 at 1:29 pm
I just don’t see how anyone can morally support breeders when animals are being euthanized by the hundreds of thousands every year. People who breed are only concerned about money, why else would they do it. It is very easy to breed dogs and make a huge, untaxed profit. If breeders only cared about the so called “quality” of the dogs, then why do they charge ridiculous prices? I have worked with animals for a long time and I have found that mutts are much better pets who usually have less medical conditions and much better temperaments. Not only that, there are many different types of animals at the shelter, suited for all different types of people. I honestly think that most breeders are human waste who have no souls, that is the only way they can morally continue their disgusting habits. They should be the ones who have to euthanize the thousands of pets who are killed each year because of their actions, but, since they are very Nazi-like in their thinking, they would probably enjoy it. For the record, I am not a PETA member, just a moral person who loves animals.
December 5th, 2007 at 3:07 pm
Well said animal lover, I concur 100%. However, if you read the posts from the “breeders”, you will see that those people are heartless, greedy, soul sucking, animal killing nut jobs (in my opinion). For instance, the one breeder who said my cats should fear for their lives because I cursed at him - AAAAAAHAHAHAHA. NO, animals in shelters should fear for THEIR lives because he breeds. If all these “breeders” are such wonderful people, why are all shelters filled to the brim with their PURE BREED animals that were bought, yet discarded when they ceased to be cute and cuddly?
January 4th, 2008 at 11:11 pm
I think Christine says it all, “I AM PROUD TO BE A BREEDER. I don’t care about shelter dogs”. Any questions on why decent, compassionate NOT SELFISH people think that breeders are greedy? I seriously wanted to vomit after reading her post. I can’t believe that there are people like that out in the world. So sad…..
And by the way I am a PROUD PETA member and in the words of Bill Maher in response to criticism that PETA sometimes crosses the line, “It’s not the worst thing in the world to cross the line. To me, a much worse thing is to never even approach the line.”
January 11th, 2008 at 3:40 am
[…] PETA says the real villains are the animal breeders. They state that breeders are contributing to the animal population epidemic in the country and are also making a profit off of it. PETA campaigns against dog and cat breeders […]
May 20th, 2008 at 9:24 am
For those of you who think “shelter dogs” are worthless, well, just watch this video and pppfffffffttttttt to all of ya who think that only a “pure breed” can be worthwhile. I still say “DON’T BREED AND BUY WHILE SHELTER ANIMALS DIE”
http://youtube.com/watch?v=igiBm5VgadU
Watch the video. It tells it all.
June 11th, 2008 at 5:43 pm
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June 19th, 2008 at 11:31 am
Read a Sample Chapter
A Rare Breed of Love The True Story of Baby and the Mission She Inspired to Help Dogs Everywhere
By Jana Kohl
Fireside Copyright © 2008 Jana Kohl
All right reserved.
ISBN: 9781416564034
Chapter 1
Baby’s Story
Just shy of his ninth birthday, my dog Blue lost a year-long battle with cancer, which had begun as a small melanoma on his lip and rapidly overtook his entire body. I couldn’t bear to see him suffer. When the day came that he could no longer eat or muster the strength to go for a walk, I called the vet to come to our home. I was filled with angst about whether Blue had suffered too long already, or if he still had some good days left.
As he lay stretched out on the living room rug, very still and seemingly peaceful, I studied his magnificent profile before the doctor administered the injection that ended his life. Leaning close, I told Blue how much I loved him, and I thanked him for being my most important teacher. I was, and still am, filled with wonder that a member of another species taught me about unconditional love and the interconnectedness of all living things on this planet. Although my beloved Blue was certainly my first dog teacher, it was my second dog — a three-legged puppy-mill survivor named Baby — who exposed me to a world I never knew existed, one that would profoundly impact the course of my life.
At first it was hard to think of any dog replacing Blue, but several months after his death, I thought I might be ready to look for another. This time I wanted a small dog, one who could travel with me. I did anonline search for toy poodles, which led me to an innocent-sounding website, where hundreds of breeders advertise. I spent hours reading the postings, oohing and ahhing over all of the adorable pictures of pups for sale, never once suspecting that behind many of those innocent photographs was rampant abuse and unspeakable suffering.
I mentioned my search to a friend who worked in animal welfare, and she was horrified that I would even consider buying a dog from a breeder, especially one from an Internet site. And so began my education into the cruel world of mass dog production. Up until that time, the animal welfare topics that I had primarily been aware of were the inhumane methods of raising and killing animals in the food and fur industries. But I knew nothing about puppy mills. My friend tried to explain that dogs sold at pet stores typically come from inhumane breeding factories known as puppy mills, and that most commercial breeders — no matter what they advertise — are guilty of mistreatment. She tried to sell me on the idea of adopting from a shelter or a rescue group, but I’m ashamed to say that I only half-listened. All I could see were those adorable faces staring at me from my computer screen.
One breeder, in particular, sounded impressive — he was based in Texas, and the picture he had posted of the most darling puppy clinched the deal. I called the number and put a deposit in the mail to him that day. To satisfy my curiosity, and hopefully dispel the worries of my animal-welfare friend, I decided to fly down to Texas to see the breeder’s operation firsthand. After landing at the airport, accompanied by my friend Bryan, we rented a car, and about an hour later were parked at the end of a long dirt road that ran beside acres of flat land dotted by a couple of sheds and a house farther in the distance.
It was a Sunday, a fact I’ll never forget because we had to wait for the man to return from church. (How ironic, given what we would soon learn about him.) As soon as we stepped out of our car, horrible sounds greeted us — the desperate cries of hundreds of dogs barking from within the two wooden sheds. I felt a terrible sense of dread in the pit of my stomach, knowing this was what my friend had tried to warn me about.
The owner showed us into the smaller of the two sheds, which housed a couple dozen wire cages, a lone and frightened puppy in each one. These were the puppies for sale. The moment we entered, they all flung themselves against the sides of their barren cells, frantic to get out, except for one puppy who lay still and listless in the corner of his enclosure. The fear, loneliness, and deprivation were palpable, and overwhelming. This wasn’t the warm and fuzzy, bucolic setting I had envisioned. This was a business, and to the mill owner these puppies were a commodity, no different than soybeans or metal widgets.
The racket from the larger shed next door increased as the occupants obviously sensed our presence. When we asked, we were told that the breeding dogs were kept in there. I couldn’t bring myself to go in and asked Bryan to take a look. Minutes later he came out, his face grim. Later he would describe the misery he saw — dogs crowded into cages, trampling each other to try to reach him as he neared, animals who have gone cage crazy, spinning endlessly, others who were gravely ill or severly maimed, some appearing to be near death, all with filthy matted coats covered with urine and feces that filled their cages, and the overpowering stench that made him gag — the sights, sounds, and smells of torture and suffering.
Bryan glared at the miller. “You have all this land,” he said, “don’t you ever let the dogs out of their cages to run around?”
The man shook his head, explaining that he didn’t want to be bothered with ants or insects getting on the dogs, or them running away, and that it was easier to keep them in cages all the time.
The idea of an animal being locked in a cage for years was so staggering to me that I felt my chest tighten in panic for them. Thinking money was the issue, I offered to write him a check on the spot to fence-in an area for them to get exercise. He declined. When we told him that we thought it was incredibly cruel, that the dogs were obviously going insane and suffering a horrendous existence, he shrugged and said, “They don’t mind being locked up. Animals don’t have feelings.” He added that he had been inspected by the USDA and was told he had a “model facility.”
I replied that if the USDA called this a model facility, the standards had to be changed, and that I couldn’t, in good conscience, be a party to it by buying a puppy from him. Bryan, having been raised a Christian, and remembering that the man had been to church that morning, tried to reason with him on those grounds, reminding him that God and the Bible were clear about the need for humane treatment of animals. My own Jewish background taught the same. The man didn’t respond to that, unwilling or unable to see anything other than dollar signs where these dogs were concerned.
We drove off, panicked and despondent over having to leave all those tortured animals behind, and aching for the thousands of others who, we now realized, were being abused by breeders across the country. I remember we were both so filled with helpless rage over not being able to take those dogs with us that we couldn’t speak to each other for a while. I thought about buying every last dog and taking them all with me, but I knew the man would have restocked the cages with new breeding dogs within a week. I multiplied this mill times thousands that I imagined across the nation and felt a staggering sense of helplessness and despair.
In that instant I knew that this was a defining moment in my life, and that I would never be the same. I remember saying to myself, “Your life will never be the same after today.” As I tried to come to terms with the horror that surrounded us, my only thought was: You must stop this. However long it takes, however much it costs, you must stop this.
I realized that this was an ugly secret being kept from the public — and obviously supported by the USDA, which, I was to learn, fails to adequately enforce animal welfare standards in many industries. But I would also learn that the meager standards that are on the books are anything but humane: If a dog has food and water, she can legally be locked in a cage for years without the breeder being charged with animal abuse. How can we lock an animal in a cage for life and not call that an act of cruelty? This isn’t how man’s best friend is supposed to be treated, or any animal for that matter.
Such legalized abuse struck me as a travesty — not only for the animals, but for the humans perpetrating it. By hurting these defenseless creatures, we are hurting ourselves just as much — damaging not just our soul, spirit, psyche, or whatever you choose to call it, but our society as a whole, which becomes contaminated by this kind of legalized cruelty. If it’s acceptable for a business to abuse animals, it makes it easier for us as a society to abuse the environment, the poor, women, minorities, children, or any voiceless and vulnerable group. I had come to understand that the abuse of animals wasn’t an isolated event that can be shrugged off as a necessary evil, or an unavoidable by-product of big business. It’s something that sends shockwaves through everyone and everything, from the factory farmer or the puppy miller to the consumer and even the investor who buys stock in an animal-abusing company. It promotes a culture of abuse and destruction that impacts the quality of our lives on every level.
In short, I realized that what hurts the animals hurts us — not just morally and spiritually, but physically (as I would later learn, the cruel, factory-like conditions at livestock farms contribute more to global warming than all the cars, trucks, and planes worldwide).
As our car headed back to the airport, I broke the silence and vowed that I would do whatever it took to stop this cruelty, starting with rescuing a dog instead of buying one from a breeder. But I knew that would only be the start. I was determined to let every American know about the misery in those windowless sheds in countless backyards across the nation, and in doing so I would try to change the laws. What was now considered acceptable would be exposed for the ugly truth that it is — animal cruelty, deserving of punishment by every court in the land. I knew that taking on the dog-breeding industry would be no easy task, but I didn’t care how tough the opposition might be or how great the cost or the sacrifice. I simply couldn’t turn my back on those tortured animals.
Over the next year, I would see countless photos and video footage of puppy mills that were all staggering in their brutality and cruelty. My heart and spirit broke every time I saw documentation of the horrors of these breeding factories, where living beings were reduced to machines. Even my faith in God was shaken, not unlike many others who witness abuse day after day. But as many times as I felt despair, I refused to give up. Walking away simply wasn’t an option when I thought of those who were unable to walk away.
That horrific and fateful trip to Texas was my crash course in puppy mills, and the desperate cries from those wooden sheds still haunt me to this day. When I returned to Chicago, I contacted my friend who had delivered the warnings about puppy mills weeks before. Now I hung on her every word. She directed me to local shelters, to rescue groups that specialize in certain breeds, and to Petfinder.com and 1-800-Save-a-Pet.com, national databases that match rescue dogs with potential adopters. On Petfinder.com I did a search for toy poodles and almost immediately spotted Baby’s picture and bio. There she was, clinging to her foster mother, along with a sentence or two that described her as a puppy-mill survivor. That was all I needed to know.
Baby was rescued from a California puppy mill by a woman whom my friend Brian dubbed the “Drive-by Angel.” One day, as she was driving, she saw a Puppies for Sale sign by the side of the road. For reasons she can’t explain, she felt compelled to pull up to the house. The woman who answered the door wouldn’t let her in when she inquired if there were any dogs available. She told her to wait outside.
Minutes later she returned with an armload of older, “spent” breeding dogs — as mill owners call those who can no longer produce litters — whom she deposited in an outdoor pen for Drive-by Angel to examine. One of the dogs repeatedly leaped in the air, trying to engage her, begging to be picked up. Her heart broke to see how underweight they all were, their coats filthy and matted. She knelt down to the skinny white dog who was so frantically trying to get her attention, who at that time only had a number, 94, not a name.
“They’re too old to produce. I’m going to put them down,” said the woman matter-of-factly. “You can have any of them for two hundred dollars.” Drive-by Angel pleaded with the miller to reconsider killing perfectly healthy dogs, but the woman was unmoved. In the end, Drive-by Angel was able to take only one dog, number 94, whom her young children named Baby later that day. When I asked why they had chosen that name, she explained: “When I brought her home, everything was a first for her. Grass. Toys. Furniture. My kids said, ‘She doesn’t know about anything, just like a baby.’ ”
Drive-by Angel’s life was full with work, kids, and other pets, and her thought was to keep Baby temporarily until a permanent home could be found. Just two days after bringing Baby home, as Drive-by Angel was leaving the house, Baby, in her eagerness not to be left behind, jumped off the sofa and shattered her left front leg. For a normal dog this wouldn’t have posed a danger, but for a dog who had been deprived of exercise, proper nutrition, and who was overbred, osteoporosis occurs, thinning the bones to the point where even a simple jump off the sofa was too much for that little leg to take. The vet tried to set the leg three different times, but the bones were too thin and brittle to mend and he had no choice but to amputate.
After Baby’s leg was removed, Drive-by Angel placed her with a woman I’ll call “Sarah” who had fostered countless rescue dogs over the years and was no stranger to nursing homeless, damaged creatures back to health. She knew about the mill where Baby had come from, having seen other dogs come out of there with broken limbs and worse. It is common for small dogs at puppy mills to have their paws caught in the openings at the bottoms of the wire cages, wrenching their legs as they try to free themselves, which can cause fractures and breaks.
When she felt Baby was ready, Sarah posted Baby’s picture and bio on Petfinder.com and waited, hoping for the best. Hundreds of miles away, sitting at my desk in Chicago, I was one of only two people who responded. I guess a three-legged puppy-mill survivor isn’t high on many people’s list for a pet. After reading my application, Sarah called and told me I was welcome to meet Baby in person.
Even though they were halfway across the country, I felt compelled to book a flight to California. Of all the Petfinder.com listings I read, hers was the one I couldn’t forget. On some level that I wasn’t conscious of at the time, I must have known there was a bigger purpose to my having found her listing, and that this little dog, who had been through so much, was meant to be with me. Once again I found myself in a rental car driving to another small town, located about an hour from the airport. When Sarah opened her front door, two small, white poodles were at her feet to greet me: Spunky and Baby, who was the smaller of the two. She hopped around the room on three legs, looking considerably happier than in her website picture. Clearly she was enjoying life with them. When I sat down, she jumped into my lap and made herself comfortable, as if she knew I was there for her. Other than the glaring absence of her front leg, the first thing I noticed was that she constantly — and I mean constantly — flicked the air with her tongue, a nervous tick she had likely developed after years of being confined in a cage.
Sarah filled me in on as many details as she knew about Baby’s past. Inside her delicate pink ear I saw “94″ tattooed, most likely the year of her birth. This would have been the breeder’s method of checking her “expiration date,” when she’d become too old to breed and would be killed.
As Baby looked up at me adoringly, it was hard to imagine the cold-heartedness of the breeder who was ready to snuff out this little angel, still so full of life. I considered the fate of the others that Drive-by Angel had left behind that day. As I gently held up Baby’s ear flap to examine the tattoo, I thought of how many people get permanent body art, albeit voluntarily. Unlike an animal, they can brace themselves for the pain, understand the meaning of it, and accept it as something they are willing, even excited, to endure for the sake of the outcome. But for an animal, to be grabbed and tattooed without knowing what she has done to make someone hurt her so badly, why she is being punished, is altogether different.
Just as I thought Baby’s story could not get any worse, Sarah told me that Baby couldn’t bark because the breeders had cut her vocal cords so they wouldn’t have to listen to the dogs’ constant cries to be let out of their cages. This was later confirmed when I went to the breeder’s home myself and she unashamedly boasted about sticking some kind of scissors down the dogs’ throats to do the barbaric deed. Like the Texas puppy miller who dismissed the animals’ suffering, she remarked, “It doesn’t bother them.” I held Baby close and looked at Sarah, wanting her to tell me what to do — how to shut down these places. She just shook her head sadly.
As I listened, my anger mounted. I was resolved to do something, but, surprisingly, at the end of our meeting I felt torn about whether to take Baby with me. Much to Sarah’s confusion, and my own, I flew back to Chicago without her. Despite the desperate plea in Baby’s eyes, I knew I needed more time to summon my courage and prepare for this decision. As I look back, I think I was still grieving Blue’s death and wasn’t quite ready to allow another dog to come into my heart. Even more, though, I was scared. Would it be hard to take care of a three-legged dog? What about the fact that she was older? I had just lost a nine-year-old dog to cancer, and Baby was about the same age. And would her constant licking drive me nuts? I felt terrible even asking that; after all, it wasn’t her fault that she had developed a nervous tick because she’d been abused. But I was still a novice at rescuing dogs and was afraid of the unknown.
Like a lot of people who have never rescued before, I thought of a rescue dog as “used” or having too much “baggage.” I worried that no matter how much love, food, or care I gave her, she would never be able to overcome the trauma and pain of her previous life. I realize now that my fears had more to do with myself and my unresolved feelings about my own past than they did with Baby.
I sheepishly gave Sarah some excuse about why I needed more time and wrote her a check to cover expenses for Baby’s care. I think she was dumbfounded that I had come all the way from Chicago to California and was going back without her, but she agreed to keep her awhile longer.
A couple of months passed and Sarah was, understandably, getting a bit impatient. She had travel plans and wanted to get Baby settled in the right home as soon as possible. If I didn’t come and get her now she’d have to find another home for her or bring her to the shelter where she volunteered. That spurred me into action, and I booked the next flight out of Chicago. I had stalled long enough. This time when Sarah and Spunky greeted me at the door and that little lamb appeared beside them, looking up at me, I knew in an instant that she belonged with me.
“Come here, little mouse,” I said, scooping her up (giving her the first of what would be 1,001 nicknames). As I pressed her to my cheek, I couldn’t believeI had hesitated. All doubts had vanished. I knew in my heart that she was meant to be with me. I cuddled and kissed her during the entire drive to the airport, promising her a wonderful new life, vowing that no one would ever hurt her again. That night, after a room service feast at her first hotel, she slept pressed against my side. And after two days of round-the-clock loving, the nervous licking completely stopped.
The reactions Baby and I received were dramatic. Whenever I’d take her out for a walk we could scarcely make it down the street without people approaching us. They’d stop in their tracks or even slow their cars and roll down their windows to ask, “What happened to her?” “Is she okay now?” “Can I hold her?” “Where did you find her?” “I’m so glad she has you. That’s one lucky dog.”
I’d smile and tell them I was the lucky one, that Baby was a precious gift. If I ever got tired of answering the same questions over and over, several times a day, I reminded myself that it was a small price to pay for spreading the word about puppy mills, and a golden opportunity to convince someone to rescue or adopt a dog instead of buying one from a pet store or breeder.
“Are the people in prison for what they did to her?” I was often asked. That was the hardest question for me to answer. I was as perplexed as everyone else as to why we don’t have laws that protect animals from the kind of abuse that Baby and countless other dogs endure at puppy mills and backyard breeding facilities. Like the curious strangers who stopped us every day, I wanted to know why it wasn’t a crime for people to lock animals in cages for years on end. And how could it be legal for an owner to cut a dog’s vocal cords simply because he didn’t want to listen to her cries to be let out of her cage? If these practices weren’t recognized as crimes yet, I knew from the outrage of the people we were meeting that there was plenty of support to change the laws. Which is what I had made up my mind to do.
Even a talker like me eventually gets tired of repeating the same thing over and over, so I decided to have Baby’s story printed on a card to give out to people. By then, I was more convinced than ever that I had to bring this issue to the country’s attention, and I thought a good place to start would be to ask animal-loving celebrities and members of Congress to be photographed with Baby for a book. The yesses poured in, and before long, Baby and I were flying to Hollywood, New York, and Washington, D.C., in a whirlwind of photo shoots and meetings with some of our country’s most beloved celebrities and influential leaders. Baby, of course, handled it all with her usual dignity, not knowing or caring who was a big shot and who wasn’t. In our eyes, if someone promised to help stop animal cruelty, they were a superstar.
Sometimes in our travels and meetings we’d come across someone who didn’t seem to care about speaking out against animal cruelty. That was hard for me. I’d get quiet for a long time, trying to understand how anyone could be unmoved by cruelty to animals. I knew that this kind of indifference was at the core of the problem and that only by addressing the reasons for such apathy would we ever hope to end this abuse.
“Not to worry, Baby,” I’d finally say, more for my benefit, of course, than for hers. “There are more good people than bad. We will make a difference. I promise you.”
I won’t pretend that those experiences haven’t taken their toll on me. Ask anyone who advocates for abused animals, and they will tell you that on top of having to absorb the horrific images and details of animal abuse — the stuff of nightmares — there’s the added trauma of often being discounted or disbelieved by society, or even by certain members of one’s own social circle. Those who are in denial about the abusive way society treats animals may range from one’s relatives and friends to elected officials and the press. We may be alternately belittled, ridiculed, or altogether dismissed by certain segments of society that are not ready to hear or accept the truth about the ways we legally abuse animals. And that compounds the trauma for the animal advocate. Imagine witnessing a child being abused and then going to the press, to your elected officials, or to someone in your inner circle to tell them, and having them respond with indifference or even rejection. Other social justice advocates don’t have to deal with the invalidation, rejection of facts, and outright denial by the public that animal advocates do, and as such, we may understandably suffer from depression, rage, and post-traumatic stress symptoms, not to mention despair over not being able to rescue the victims, whether from a puppy mill, factory farm, or other abusive industry. Taimie Bryant, professor of law at UCLA, has even written a paper, “Trauma, Law and Advocacy,” on this phenomenon, and it was of some comfort to me to know that someone had identified and validated the compounded trauma that we often experience:
It is, therefore, not only the animals who suffer. An individual who knows the truth of this animal suffering and of society’s failure to address it, is harmed by both the suffering and society’s disregard. When that person shares her traumatic knowledge with another, his/her reaction can compound the truth-teller’s pain. That person has seen something horrible, but when she tugs on someone’s sleeve with the words, “This is awful, awful, awful,” she is likely to be pitied for her frailty, chided for anthropomorphizing, or avoided for supposedly projecting her own traumas onto animals’ experience.
People of all ages and backgrounds are drawn to Baby, asking to touch her and hold her. They want to love her. I can’t tell you how many people have asked me if she’s for sale. The first time somebody asked that, I clutched her tighter, appalled by the very idea. Now I’m used to it. She simply inspires that love.
Just the other day, Baby and I had an extraordinary encounter with a man on the street. He was bedraggled and obviously in trouble — from his disheveled appearance and wild-eyed manner, I suspected he was probably in the throes of a psychotic or drug-induced episode, maybe both. He charged down the sidewalk toward us, screaming obscenities at the top of his lungs and ranting unintelligibly.
I stiffened as he got closer, wanting to pick up Baby and dash to the other side of street, but instead I froze, thinking of the schizophrenic patients I had worked with during my training to become a psychologist. I reminded myself that none of them had ever hurt me, that their enraged outbursts were more about their own terror of the world around them.
Having reached us, the man looked down at Baby on the sidewalk and abruptly halted.
“Oh!” he cried. “What happened to her?” His tone and face were suddenly transformed. He now looked and sounded completely lucid, like a totally different person than the one charging toward us moments before.
“She was abused and lost her leg,” I said.
“Oh, no! That hurts my heart,” he exclaimed, placing his hand over the spot on his chest.
I was so stunned I couldn’t reply.
“You’re taking good care of her, right?” he asked, looking at me squarely. “You aren’t going to hurt her,” he added more as a statement than a question.
I felt my throat tighten and my eyes well with tears for the empathy this troubled man was offering Baby, someone he identified with and wanted to protect, someone who, for that moment, inspired him to put aside his own agony and feel the pain of another. In the two years since I adopted her, I had never seen a clearer example of Baby’s transformational power to elicit love, kindness, and empathy even in the face of one’s own suffering. It is a power that animals singularly possess to heal the human soul.
“No one will ever hurt her again,” I told him.
Continues…