The No-Kill Advocacy Center is promoting a new tool to save sheltered animals like cats, dogs and rabbits. They say:

“On behalf of our organization and our Rescue Five-0 partners, No Kill Nation, we are proud to present a step-by-step guide on how to reform an entrenched shelter which refuses to change with the changing times. In too many communities, animal control directors dig in their heels and continue killing in the face of a proven formula for lifesaving success. We want to empower YOU to do something about it. If they want a fight, we’ll help you bring it to them.”

To view and print the FREE guide click here.

SmokeFree Vegas even put up a special webpage about it at http://smokefreevegas.com/animal-testing. There, they write:

From looking at their magazine ads, some tobacco companies try to make it seem like they love animals. They’ve used cartoon animals and images of people interacting with animals in these ads for years. But in reality, tobacco companies have conducted cruel experiments on animals to try to prove that that tar, nicotine, and other cigarette ingredients aren’t dangerous to people. Their own studies proved them wrong. But, they still lied.

SmokeFree Vegas also has links to more resources and show another video about cigarette companies and animal testing:

The ad campaign is clearly against Big Tobacco and tries to prevent young people from smoking, but it demonstrates something else, too. It shows how big business has a habit of using cruel animal experiments to manipulate the public.

Even if you support animal testing for diseases, please don’t support this kind of animal testing.

A nine-month PETA undercover investigation found that hundreds of dogs, cats, and rabbits were subjected to vicious and abusive handling, neglect, and miserable living conditions at Professional Laboratory and Research Services, Inc. (PLRS)—a Corapeake, North Carolina–based contract laboratory that tests animal-companion products such as flea and tick sprays and spot treatments on animals. Industry giants—including Bayer, Eli Lilly, Pfizer, Novartis, Schering-Plough (now Merck), Sergeant’s, Wellmark, and Merial, the makers of Frontline flea and tick products—are among the corporations that have paid PLRS to force-feed experimental compounds to dogs and cats and smear chemicals onto the animals’ skin.

Learn more and take action here >>

probation for drowned rabbits

I have to say: I am pleased that she at least got a conviction in the first place. But a 250 dollar fine, some community service and a probation seems very little for the clear and utter disregard of both animal life and suffering. This was clear animal cruelty at its core to me at its. Even from a very traditional animal welfare point of view there was no excuse for this. And still she has many supporters and got off easy. The punishment should have been far sterner to send a clear signal.

But the signal that was sent appears to be the opposite of what was needed for the animals. And it becomes quite clear when you read some of the utterly retarded comments made on that news article (they really make me angry).

jimrchrt wrote:

anyone that has grown up on or around a farm knows that this is a perfectly acceptable means of dispatching a tiny animal , next to ringing its neck,

Of course total nonsense. According to these folks who like to brag about ‘responsible use of animals’ they need to die quickly. Drowning them takes minutes. And he doesn’t forget to mention the delicious taste of rabbit either.

Steve wrote:

People are putting there kids in the trash. Who cares about a couple f-ing rabbits?

And how does this defend blatant animal cruelty and breaking the law?

Apprasit wrote:

What a waste of my tax dollars …all over a couple of useless rabbits, who multiply by the thousands if you’ll let them, just another cute form of vermin,like deer..

This one says it all now doesn’t it.

Reading those comments while taking into account what happened really depresses me. We still have a long way to go. But whatever you say or do…You can’t talk empathy and compassion into people. It seems to me that there are many people out there who just want to act like monsters because they can. And they will enjoy it and brag about it as much as they can. Sometimes our entire struggle feels so hopeless.

This post will be crossposted on empathy for animals

When we feed our cats meat, what are we saying? Are we saying some animals are more important than others? Are we saying it’s OK for obligate carnivores to eat meat? Or are we simply finding an imperfect solution in an imperfect situation… waiting for the day when the perfect solution comes along?

Dogs are easier. Dogs don’t need meat. They are omnivores and can eat a wide variety of food (just look what they try to eat off the sidewalk!). Resourceful people have determined dog’s nutritional requirements and have found adequate plant options. There is a great vegan dog food available that I feed my dogs: v-dog. There are also plenty of other vegan and vegetarian dog foods, even ones available at chain pet supply stores like PetCo and PetSmart.

Regarding cats – I share my home with cats and I feed them meat. There are some people who make vegan cat food and you can even buy it online if you want. I choose not to do that. My cats live indoors and they are fed meat diets. It’s certainly an area where I feel tension and guilt, but in the long haul I don’t think these small conflicts matter that much.

What matters most is how we feed and clothe ourselves, not what we feed cats.

Think about it: the average American consumes 2000 – 4000 calories a day whereas the average cat is closer to 300. It would take a lot of meat-eating cats to cause as much suffering as one human causes.

Think some more about all your options:

• Some vegans choose to only care for feral/stray/free roaming cats.
• Some vegans feed their cats vegan food and let them go outdoors so they have the option to hunt for extra food if they want.
• Some vegans invest in vatmeat/imeat/in vitro meat/cultured meat in the hopes that meat will soon become available from test tubes rather than factory farms and they plan to use that meat to feed their cats.
• Some vegans choose not to care for cats at all and care only for animals who can easily be fed a plant-based diet, like dogs and rabbits.
• Some vegans, like me, accept imperfect solutions when they become attached to particular animals or species.

Again, what matters most is reducing or eliminating our own animal product consumption and encouraging other people to do the same. The more we work on that task, the more easily all the other issues will resolve on their own.

It’s not Hannibal Lecter.

It’s a young woman with a job selling pets at Petland.

It’s the face of a manager-approved rabbit-killing Petland employee.

Details here >>

UPDATE:
Here is some contact information for Petland. Please keep your messages nonviolent:
Ed Kunzelman, Founder and Chair
Frank Difatta, President
Petland USA
250 Riverside St.
Chillicothe, OH 45601
740-775-2464
800-221-5935
740-775-2575 (fax)
frank.difatta@petland.com

Q: Although there are literally millions of pets in shelters, pounds and other ‘temporary housing’, many pet-owners-to-be (aka nonhuman animal guardians) don’t think about adoption when they’re looking for their new four-legged friend. Why do you think this is, and what can be done to turn that around?

A: Many people who want to get a pet just are not aware of how many pets are available at shelters. They might also have the misconception that pets are shelters might be there because there was a problem with the animal. In fact, most pets end up in shelters not because of any problem pet behavior, but because an owner died, moved, or simply didn’t have the time or money to care for the animal.  In some cases animals are lost and never found by their legal guardians.  These animals are healthy and very eager to please.  Rescues are wonderful – just ask anyone who has one.

Some people are seeking purebred animals or puppies and think these are not available in shelters. In fact, nearly a quarter of all animals in shelters are purebred. Often someone buys an expensive purebred animal and then attempts to breed that animal to recoup their money. Often these puppies or kittens are not placed in homes, and end up in the shelter. Puppies and kittens often up in shelters as well, but it is important to note that your animals, especially puppies, require a lot of work and training and can be quite destructive (peeing on the carpet or chewing shoes). Puppies are great but often people are much happier getting a dog who is older, and whose size and temperament is a known quantity.

With Adopt-a-Pet.com and without even leaving their home, people can search all their local pets and see pictures and descriptions of the animals.  This way, they can find the exact pet they want, call the animal shelter or rescue group, and get information on how to adopt that specific animal.

Q:What are the 5 most important things a potential adopter should consider when choosing their new pet?

A:We actually have a blog post on this highlighting the top 10 things we believe are important when adopting. Here are five, the rest can be located by visiting this page http://www.adoptapet.com/public/guides/permanentpets.html.
1. You need to make a real commitment to care for your pet for its entire life.
2. Verify in advance that you’re allowed to keep a pet where you live.
3. Never adopt on a whim or because you feel it’s love-at-first-sight
4. Provide sufficient exercise and stimulation during the first few weeks, this will help the animal adjust.
5. Make any necessary modifications to your yard and fence to provide for your pet’s safety.

Q:What are 5 positive aspects of pet adoption, and why it’s a good option?

A:
1. When you adopt an adult animal, you can see his/her size and temperament.  This helps ensure that the pet is right for you and your family.
2. It feels great to know you have saved an animals’ life and everyone you meet will give you kudos for that for years to come.
3. Adopted pets are very loyal and know they have been given a new home.
4.  Adopting a pet can be an important lesson to teach your children– both about the value of life, and also about civic responsibility.
5.  Choosing a mixed breed animal can help avoid many of the genetic health problems that have developed in purebred animal due overbreeding and inbreeding.

Q:If someone reading this isn’t in a position to adopt a pet right at this time, but still wants to help homeless pets, what are some things they can do to get involved?

A:
1. People can do Social PETworking!  They can run a search on Adopt-a-Pet.com, find a pet they want to help get exposure for, and use the share tools on our site to post the pet link on their Facebook, Twitter, MySpace or other social network page. Or, they can email the link of a pet in need form our site to their friends.
2. They can place a link/grpahic or even a search widget for Adopt-a-Pet.com on their personal website to encourage they users to see pets in need at local shelters.
3. People can add their info to our volunteer database (link) so shelters who need volunteers can find them.
4. People can search Adopt-a-Pet.com to find a local shelter, and make a cash donation to that shelter to help them with the costs of housing, feeding and medical care of shelter animals.
5. People can encourage other pet owners to spay or neuter their pet to help prevent unwanted births.

Video URL: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k87wTVwGz0g