Monday, March 16, 2009

So You Think Cats Don't Hurt Anything????

I just want people to see this. Every year there are reports of feline rabies whereas canine rabies is almost non existent. Every year the CA State Compendium recommends the licensing of cats in order for them to have rabies vaccinations like dogs. Check with your local shelter to see how many reported cat bites there are every year, you'll be surprised. And almost none of them have been vaccinated. Since cats are much more difficult to locate and contain, unlike dogs, many of the offending cats get away. This results in rabies treatment for the person bitten. These are painful and think of that small child forced to endure this pain. This is the link to the story and below is a copy of the story.

http://www.wric.com/Global/story.asp?S=10014607


REIDSVILLE, Va. (AP) - Health officials say a feral cat that bit a Rockingham County girl tested positive for rabies and six other people may have been exposed to the disease.
County environmental health director Ted Nelson says the child started a series of rabies shots last week and is fine.
The Rockingham County Department of Health says at least one of the other people has scheduled treatment.
The child was bitten March 6 outside a home in Reidsville. The health department said the cat was pregnant and it believes other cats may have been exposed.
Nelson said animal control officers from the sheriff's office picked up seven cats and two puppies that are believed to have some connection to the cat.

Saturday, March 14, 2009

Prostituting "No Kill"

I say turn about is fair play. We have to listen to the same crap from the Whino about HSUS, the ASPCA, and of course, PETA. I'm sick of his whining.

Recently the Whino told a reporter that he would do an interview with anyone. He is big with the breeding community (AKA puppy mills included of course). With the news (old news to me) of the cruelty of breeding because of meeting kennel club standards along with the puppy mills that the AKC protects, for him to grant an interview is akin to prostituting, plain and simple. Sell yourself for the price of a book, at least he's cheap. He's not spreading the word, he's in league with the devil. I wondered if during those interviews if he mentioned puppy mills??

Why hasn't he said anything about his "Best Friends" actions? Ever heard of the "Don the Dog Guy"? http://blog.cleveland.com/metro/2009/01/amherst_man_guilty_of_fraud_fo.html Seems that Best Friends "gave" the Dogman 28 pit bulls from Katrina and a good bit of money per dog from all those donations that came in for their "wonderful" rescue. Just in the last few week, the Dogman was convicted of animal cruelty and only three of 28 dogs were accounted for. It is known that at least one dog died due to fighting. All the others are dead as far as we know. This guy was also ordered to pay back over $62,000 to Best Friends. Well, obviously Best Friends didn't bother to check this guy out and if they didn't check this guy, how many others that we don't know about are out there like this one. As usual with the "No Kill Equation" it's push them out the door, out of sight, out of mind. Who gives a shit that the dogs end up on chains or thrown in backyards, if they are lucky, or just plain thrown out? "No Kill" doesn't care, just get those "live release numbers" to looking good, to hell with whether we do good adoptions.

Why didn't Best Friends retain all the dogs they brought back from Katrina? After all they have 33,000 acres, more than enough room. Most people who donated to them believe that the dogs went to their sanctuary. So Best Friends is most certainly guilty of deceit. Now isn't this what the Whino claims of HSUS?

And another thing we won't hear from the Whino is how Best Friends has killed one of the Vick dogs due to surgery. Yes, I know that anytime a dog is put under for surgery, that it is a risk. But the point is that of all the dogs, this particular one died on the table and this was the explanation offered by Best Friends. I'll lay ten to one, the dog died from a dog fight.

And what about Best Friends not knowing enough to provide the correct size ball for playing with the dogs. One dog had to have surgery due to a ball. The ball was small enough for the dog to swallow. Now I know that you have to be careful about the size of the ball to the size of the dog and you probably know that too. Best Friends employees didn't. Make me wonder about the care that these employees render with their lack of knowledge.

And although Best Friends does not hesitate to step in on situations that are getting media attention, they won't step in for a situation just down the road from them. A hoarder was busted close to Best Friends (makes you wonder where the dogs came from) and no where to take these dogs. Best Friends refused to help. Yeah, Whino, talk about no kill, what happens to these Best Friends rejects, they will probably be killed. Who is to blame, the hoarder, a little, but Best Friends turning these dogs away is a sure death sentence. So turning animals away makes you a partner in the killing and Best Friends is a major partner.

All this whining from the Whino about HSUS and PETA looks like nothing more than jealousy to me. He's already pissed because he didn't get the Maddie's Fund. Now he looks at the number of members (money) of these two organizations and he wants it. He reminds me of a little boy who was chosen last, no one wanted to play with him. So he has developed a scheme to get all those people back, make their pets suffer with this no kill crap. I'll have to say that he reminds me of a street walking prostitute that will sell herself to anyone that waves money in her face. Same with the Whino. He has sold himself to the breeding community. Oh, he claims he will do an interview with anyone who wants to listen. Excuse me, but when you do interviews, it is a given that you are supporting the organization that is interviewing. I call it whoring myself and the Whino is an expert there.

Friday, March 13, 2009

Breeding Cruelty Comes to America

So you diehards out there that still support breeding in one fashion or another (lip service in particular), listen up.

Wednesday March 11, ABC's Nightline aired a terrific piece they headed, "Best in Show: Quest for Perfection." Reporter Nick Watt focused on the inbreeding and illness of pure bred dogs, encouraged by the big dog shows such as Westminster.

We learn about bulldogs, for example, whose snouts, "smashed like a coke can," make breathing difficult. We are told that most bulldogs cannot mate or give birth naturally and need to be artificially inseminated and birthed via c-sections. We find out that many Dalmatians cannot urinate properly, and that flat coated retrievers have a high incidence of cancer.

Nightline tells us that documentary on the issue in Britain had such an impact that the BBC stopped televising Crufts, the world's largest dog show, about which a veterinarian commented:"When I watch Crufts, what I see in front of me is a parade of mutants."Watts tells us that American Kennel Club representatives refused to be interviewed for his Nightline report. Let's hope it too has some impact. You can watch it on line at: http://tinyurl.com/clpz24

Or you can read the story at http://www.nppmwatch.com/ When you've finished, let me know what your thoughts are.

Thursday, March 12, 2009

TNR: A Continuation

The comments were getting long and burdensome so I thought to start a new post on the same subject. There's still more to cover on this issue.



A few years ago I trapped a very pregnant female "feral" cat. I took her to be spay/aborted. She hated me for 10 days while I kept her in a cage. Then I released her back in the same place and didn't see her for 3 months. Of course, I worried about her all this time. I was putting feed out one morning and up she walks, pretty as you please, came over and started rubbing against my leg and purring. I can't being to tell you the guilt I felt. She did get a nice home after that.



And she was one of the reasons why I feel TN&Release is so cruel. I would have to say that my experience has been that nine of ten "feral" cats I have trapped have come out of the trap friendly. It is difficult finding them homes, however, because there are so many cats out there. But I tried and did with very few having to be put down. I will not adopt out cats that are FiV positive.

And on that note, I watched a colony go down within two weeks of each other, about 15 cats. Vet ran tests and found two of the cats were FiV positive, so we assume the others were too. Since they shared water and food bowls, it is a good assumption.

Tuesday, March 3, 2009

A Discussion on TNR Per A Friend's Request

A person whom I respect has asked that I start a civil discussion on this blog concerning TNR. Readers of this blog know my stance on Trap, Neuter, and Abandon. But I am willing to discuss this with a person whom I have found to be open minded.

I have promised that she will not be attacked on this blog and it will be informational. Since I control the comments, any comment sent in the spirit of attack will not be posted. I invite my readers to share first hand experiences, studies, and any info that can only further our understanding of a very emotional subject.

Let me begin by saying that my experiences with TNR are negative to the point I will say I would rather see them dead. However, I prefer to see them treated differently, such as being brought in from the cold. I support Trap, Neuter, and Retain. In almost every case of my dealing with a "feral" cat, it has turned out to be just a domestic gone wild, so to speak. I don't feel that there are enough truly feral cats out there to support TNR. And it bothers me to leave them out there when they just need enough to make them into loving house cats again. This is my biggest gripe about Trap, Neuter, and Release.

My friend has ask the impact on birds as a beginning of discussion. My experience has been that I had to stop feeding birds because of the cats in the neighborhood, either owned or whatever, were using my feed stations to kill the birds I invited in. I had an organic backyard for over 10 years and birds were part of the eco system. When I lost the birds, my backyard went to hell. It is not right that I lose my birds, my eco system, all for the love of leaving cats outside. I noticed the decline in the birds. I saw the cats taking the young, therefore no new birds to replace the ones taken. It broke my heart. I saw the difference it made in my yard, my fruit trees, my lawn. I removed all the bird feeders, it didn't help. I had fruit trees and the cats would sit and wait for the birds.

So my first hand experience says it is not fair to me to have cats outside. It probably is the same for many people who try to garden organically, because birds are a big part of doing that. So let the discussion begin.

Give Me A Break!!!

So now I am off on a "pit bull" tangent according to another blog. Pit bulls are a subject that can hurt the no kill movement. Why do people not understand all the aspects of fighting this movement? When children are being mauled or killed almost on a daily basis by a bully breed and no kill is trying to save them all, why would this not be discussed? When pits adopted by a "no kill" shelter have mauled and killed children, why shouldn't this be discussed? We are trying to destroy credibility folks, and we don't do this by avoiding certain subjects. Pit adoptions are at the top of the list against no kill. There is a liability to the city for adopting these dogs and cities are being sued. Yet I am off in another world discussing it. This is one of the best tools you have to fight no kill.

Douglas Rae of PACCA fame is trying to save the pits in Indy now. Indy has one of the highest records of pit bull attacks. Rae is a darling of Winograd. So why not attack this issue with them?

And as for my shelter going no kill, sorry to inform you but that won't happen. Already been hit even with a lawsuit and we stood ground, gained ground actually, didn't lose any. And Reno has fallen, so who is doing the better job? I bring up the issues that no kill has no answers for. It's about time that others do the same. This fight has been going on for a long time and it is a pisser when the new guys come in and think they know it all. You are either in this all the way or you are in the way, which one is it?