Friday, November 30, 2012
Consider Adopting a Less Adoptable Pet
Hey rescuers! Enjoy my first video update.
I mostly get this information from what I've suspected all along from interacting with rescuers and working various animal welfare events, but to not take my own word for it, I reviewed the two sources below to find that they confirm my empirical observations.
Have you seen some of the same discrimination in a shelter near you? Let me know.
Sources:
Don't be so fast to judge a cat by its color. Yasmin Anwar. UC Berkeley. Retrieved from:
http://newscenter.berkeley.edu/2012/10/23/cat-color/
Are black pets less likely to be adopted? Terri Pous. Time. Retrieved from:
http://newsfeed.time.com/2011/10/12/are-black-pets-less-likely-to-be-adopted/
Wednesday, November 28, 2012
Friday, November 16, 2012
Weekend Plans to Reconsider: Greyhound Racing, Part 2
Hey rescuers!
Today I'm going to get right back into where we left off last week.
When injured, these animals are generally not treated, as their owners find it cheaper simply to destroy and replace the injured dog than to care for it properly. Many states do not require the reporting of racer Greyhound injuries or deaths. Available data collected by Grey2kUSA from kennels that do report death by track or kennel acquired illness report that injury is very common. There have been several reported cases in recent years of dogs simply being left to succumb to their injuries or starve. As veterinarians seem to be too much of a cost to these cruel dog owners, if animals are helped along towards death, it is generally by gunshot or electricution (Grey2kUSA 2011).
Sources:
Grey2kUSA. (2011). Grey2kusa.org. In Grey 2k USA. Retrieved from http://www.grey2kusa.org
/pdf/FLreport.pdf
Today I'm going to get right back into where we left off last week.
Inadequate Standards of Deplorable Care:
There is nothing okay with how racing Greyhounds live on the track. Dogs that survive the culling process as puppies to make it the track often fall prey to conditions on rocky tracks or substandard kennels. According to Grey2kUSA's recent study, snapped spines, broken legs, and even severed toes are common, "acceptable" track injuries. Heart attacks from overwork, and upper respiratory diseases aquired in packed kennels are equally common (Grey2kUSA 2011).When injured, these animals are generally not treated, as their owners find it cheaper simply to destroy and replace the injured dog than to care for it properly. Many states do not require the reporting of racer Greyhound injuries or deaths. Available data collected by Grey2kUSA from kennels that do report death by track or kennel acquired illness report that injury is very common. There have been several reported cases in recent years of dogs simply being left to succumb to their injuries or starve. As veterinarians seem to be too much of a cost to these cruel dog owners, if animals are helped along towards death, it is generally by gunshot or electricution (Grey2kUSA 2011).
The Law is on Our Side
Thankfully, extreme animal cruelty is a felony charge that can net a maximum of five years jail time that is, conventionally, doled out per animal. For instance, a case of two abused animals on the same property is considered two counts of felony abuse that can lead to a maximum of ten years jail time. Grey2kUSA reflects on this with optimism. You can imagine how quickly Greyhound racing would stop if good people like you would report abuse any time it is practiced (Grey2kUSA).Sources:
Grey2kUSA. (2011). Grey2kusa.org. In Grey 2k USA. Retrieved from http://www.grey2kusa.org
/pdf/FLreport.pdf
Friday, November 9, 2012
Weekend Plans to Reconsider: Greyhound Racing, Part 1
Hey there rescuers!
Thinking of having some fun with awesome animals this weekend? If you're thinking of heading to the track to bet on a racing animal, you may want to think again. Here's some facts about Greyhound racing that might surprise you.
Even on their own website, they admit that many of the Greyhounds bred for racing are destroyed before they make it to adulthood, and that the ones that do make it live out their lives in kennels at tracks instead of getting to have the experience of being someone's pet.
GRAA seems to think that the dogs enjoy racing and that it's okay that they lose a dog to injuries every now and then. They claim that it's all humane and for the good of the breed (GRAA 2011).
According to Grey2kUSA, a Greyhound pup that survives to become a racer can look forward to a life in a kennel at the racing facility. Investigators representing Grey2KUSA cite case studies from December 2011, where they found Greyhounds stored in warehouse-like conditions, living in stacked cages for 23 hours a day with nothing but shredded bits of carpet and newspaper to sleep on, in their condemning report of the sport. Some of these cages, they describe, are as small as three by three feet. The study goes on to posit that this is why many former racing Greyhounds have difficulty transitioning to home life with an adoptive family. They often exhibit issues such as bumping their heads into sliding glass doors, or trying to walk on swimming pools, as in their life they have rarely seen a surface that isn't paved, or a door that isn't chain. Some Greyhounds come to adoptive homes afraid of grass, as, because of the conditions they grew up in, they have no idea what it is (Grey2kUSA 2011).
Don't want to participate in this cruelty? Don't give your hard earned money to anywhere that races Greyhounds or other animals. It's as easy as that.
Since this is a topic very dear to my heart, next week I will cover:
Deplorable Standards of Inadequate Care
What The Law and You Can Do
In the meantime, check out the sources I referenced in this post:
ASPCA. (2011). Greyhound Racing FAQ. ASPCA. Retrieved from http://www.aspca.org/fight-animal-
cruelty/greyhound-racing.faq.apsx
Grey2kUSA. (2011). Grey2kusa.org. In Grey 2k USA. Retrieved from http://www.grey2kusa.org
/pdf/FLreport.pdf
GRAA. (2011). Greyhound Racing Association of America homepage. Greyhound Racing Association of
America. Retrieved from http://www.gra-america.org/
Thinking of having some fun with awesome animals this weekend? If you're thinking of heading to the track to bet on a racing animal, you may want to think again. Here's some facts about Greyhound racing that might surprise you.
What They Say:
The Greyhound Racing Association of America claims that Greyhound racing is "the cleanest sport in America" I'm not quite sure what sports they have been comparing this cruelty to!Even on their own website, they admit that many of the Greyhounds bred for racing are destroyed before they make it to adulthood, and that the ones that do make it live out their lives in kennels at tracks instead of getting to have the experience of being someone's pet.
GRAA seems to think that the dogs enjoy racing and that it's okay that they lose a dog to injuries every now and then. They claim that it's all humane and for the good of the breed (GRAA 2011).
What Really Goes Down:
According to researchers from the ASPCA and nonprofit Grey2kUSA, conditions for these animals are incredibly grim. Feel free to check out the sources below to read their research that I will be summarizing, but be warned; they have photographs all of this. I would hope that conditions for Greyhounds are improving to this day, but before you shrug this off as an old problem, consider that these studies were done in 2011.A Young Greyhound:
The ASPCA warns those who might be interested in going to a dog race that a racing Greyhound begins its life on a Greyhound breeding farm, which is not unlike a puppy mill. At these facilities, the ASPCA goes on to describe, thousands of pups are born a year, of which only a few ever become racers. The rest are destroyed or sold to laboratories as test animals. A pup making it to training is no guarantee of a long life. If a pup makes it to training and does not measure up, or is somehow injured, it is also destroyed (ASPCA 2011).According to Grey2kUSA, a Greyhound pup that survives to become a racer can look forward to a life in a kennel at the racing facility. Investigators representing Grey2KUSA cite case studies from December 2011, where they found Greyhounds stored in warehouse-like conditions, living in stacked cages for 23 hours a day with nothing but shredded bits of carpet and newspaper to sleep on, in their condemning report of the sport. Some of these cages, they describe, are as small as three by three feet. The study goes on to posit that this is why many former racing Greyhounds have difficulty transitioning to home life with an adoptive family. They often exhibit issues such as bumping their heads into sliding glass doors, or trying to walk on swimming pools, as in their life they have rarely seen a surface that isn't paved, or a door that isn't chain. Some Greyhounds come to adoptive homes afraid of grass, as, because of the conditions they grew up in, they have no idea what it is (Grey2kUSA 2011).
Don't want to participate in this cruelty? Don't give your hard earned money to anywhere that races Greyhounds or other animals. It's as easy as that.
Since this is a topic very dear to my heart, next week I will cover:
Deplorable Standards of Inadequate Care
What The Law and You Can Do
In the meantime, check out the sources I referenced in this post:
ASPCA. (2011). Greyhound Racing FAQ. ASPCA. Retrieved from http://www.aspca.org/fight-animal-
cruelty/greyhound-racing.faq.apsx
Grey2kUSA. (2011). Grey2kusa.org. In Grey 2k USA. Retrieved from http://www.grey2kusa.org
/pdf/FLreport.pdf
GRAA. (2011). Greyhound Racing Association of America homepage. Greyhound Racing Association of
America. Retrieved from http://www.gra-america.org/
Wednesday, November 7, 2012
Rescue Review: Feral Friends
Hello everyone! How have you all been keeping?
Let's enjoy another Rescue Review.
About a year ago, James F. adopted a cat from Dallas-area rescue Feral Friends. It was a pretty nifty experience!
You can check them out here:
http://www.feralfriends.org/
Here goes! I hope that James's experience might be able to help you decide if Feral Friends could be right for you.
CR: When, and why, did you decide you want to adopt a cat?
-J: This spring, I moved into a new apartment. I wanted a friend to keep me company.
CR: Was getting an orange tabby, specifically, important to you?
-J: Not really. I think personality is way more important than appearance, and that there isn't much variance in breed-correlating personalities when it comes to cats.
CR: Why did you decide to adopt a cat from a rescue instead of buying a kitten from a pet shop?
-J: I agree with all the things you posted earlier. It's just the right thing to do.
CR: What made Feral Friends the rescue you chose?
-J: They were convenient, all over the DFW Metroplex, and at PetSmart the day I decided to get a cat.
CR: What steps did you have to go through to adopt your cat?
-J: He cost $100 that day. I had to fill out some paperwork saying I'd take him to the vet, not declaw him, and return him to the rescue instead of taking him to a shelter if I couldn't care for him anymore.
CR: Did they match you with your cat, or did you pick him out?
-J: I picked him out! He was being super cute in a cage at PetSmart.
CR: What was the first month with your cat like?
-J: Difficult. He had several health and behavioral issues that the rescue did not warn me about. They claimed to have had him in their foster care for a while so I still find this a little fishy. I feel like they were a little desperate to get rid of the cat.
CR: What is life with your cat like now?
-J: Amazing. He took lots of hard work but is a great friend now.
CR: Would you rescue a cat again?
-J: Yes. Every time.
CR: Would you use this rescue again?
-J: Maybe. Probably not. It was more difficult to get his medical records from them than it was to get human medical records from a hospital. They do give you contact information and support after you've adopted, but when you have a question about the animal's history, they seem to toss you around a lot and not be very organized. I am thankful for the group of unpaid volunteers that saves these cats, it's just all a little messy.
Source:
James F., interview, November 7th, 2012
Let's enjoy another Rescue Review.
About a year ago, James F. adopted a cat from Dallas-area rescue Feral Friends. It was a pretty nifty experience!
You can check them out here:
http://www.feralfriends.org/
Here goes! I hope that James's experience might be able to help you decide if Feral Friends could be right for you.
CR: When, and why, did you decide you want to adopt a cat?
-J: This spring, I moved into a new apartment. I wanted a friend to keep me company.
CR: Was getting an orange tabby, specifically, important to you?
-J: Not really. I think personality is way more important than appearance, and that there isn't much variance in breed-correlating personalities when it comes to cats.
CR: Why did you decide to adopt a cat from a rescue instead of buying a kitten from a pet shop?
-J: I agree with all the things you posted earlier. It's just the right thing to do.
CR: What made Feral Friends the rescue you chose?
-J: They were convenient, all over the DFW Metroplex, and at PetSmart the day I decided to get a cat.
CR: What steps did you have to go through to adopt your cat?
-J: He cost $100 that day. I had to fill out some paperwork saying I'd take him to the vet, not declaw him, and return him to the rescue instead of taking him to a shelter if I couldn't care for him anymore.
CR: Did they match you with your cat, or did you pick him out?
-J: I picked him out! He was being super cute in a cage at PetSmart.
CR: What was the first month with your cat like?
-J: Difficult. He had several health and behavioral issues that the rescue did not warn me about. They claimed to have had him in their foster care for a while so I still find this a little fishy. I feel like they were a little desperate to get rid of the cat.
CR: What is life with your cat like now?
-J: Amazing. He took lots of hard work but is a great friend now.
CR: Would you rescue a cat again?
-J: Yes. Every time.
CR: Would you use this rescue again?
-J: Maybe. Probably not. It was more difficult to get his medical records from them than it was to get human medical records from a hospital. They do give you contact information and support after you've adopted, but when you have a question about the animal's history, they seem to toss you around a lot and not be very organized. I am thankful for the group of unpaid volunteers that saves these cats, it's just all a little messy.
Source:
James F., interview, November 7th, 2012
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)