Viva La Liberación Animal

1. In many circuses, wild and exotic animals are trained through the use of intimidation and physical abuse. Former circus employees have reported seeing animals beaten, whipped, poked with sharp objects and even burned to force them to learn their routines!
2. Elephants who perform in circuses are often kept in chains for as long as 23 hours a day from the time they are babies.
3. More than 25 million vertebrate animals are used in testing in the United States each year. When invertebrate animals are thrown into the mix, the estimated number rises to as high as 100 million.
4. By 2022, 22% of all species will be extinct if no action is taken.
5. If you live in Pennsylvania, California, Florida, Rhode Island, Illinois, Virginia, Oregon, New York, New Jersey and Vermont you have the legal right to refuse to participate in dissection in class! In Louisiana, there is a State resolution and in Massachusetts, Maine, Maryland and New Mexico, there are Departments of Education resolutions in place that allow you to refuse to dissect, although it hasn’t yet become a law.
6. Dog fighting and cock-fighting are illegal in all 50 states.
7. It is estimated that on average it takes 1,000 dogs to maintain a mid-sized racetrack operation. New greyhounds are continually entering the system to replace greyhounds that grade-off due to injury, age or poor performance. There are currently over 30 tracks operating in the United States.
8. Tens of thousands of wild and domesticated horses from the United States are cruelly slaughtered every year to be used for horse meat in Europe and Asia. Since the last horse slaughter plants in the U.S. were closed in 2007, thousands of horses have been shipped to Canada and Mexico for slaughter.
9. Many studies have found a link between cruelty to animals and other forms of interpersonal violence.
10. Neglect and abandonment are the most common forms of companion animal abuse in the United States.
11. A fur coat is pretty cool—for an animal to wear. Eighteen red foxes are killed to make one fox-fur coat, 55 minks to make a mink coat.

(Source: 11 Facts About Animal Cruelty | Do Something)

Try to gather the following information before submitting a report of animal cruelty:

• A concise, written, factual statement of what you observed—giving dates and approximate times whenever possible—to provide to law enforcement.
• Photographs of the location, the animals in question and the surrounding area. However, please do not put yourself in danger! Do not enter another person’s property without permission, and exercise great caution around unfamiliar animals who may be frightened or in pain.
• If you can, provide law enforcement with the names and contact information of other people who have firsthand information about the abusive situation.

Remember, never give away a document without making a copy for yourself!

(Source: aspca.org)

Every July Fourth, fireworks flash, swoosh and pop in neighborhoods, thrilling some residents. And every July Fourth the explosions panic pets, causing them to tremble, hide or even bolt out windows or over fences.

Many end up at shelters, but some end up lost forever. But there are ways to make the July Fourth weekend less stressful for pets. Here are some tips from the Oregon Humane Society:

• Keep your animals inside as much as possible
• If you find a stray, turn it into a local animal shelter
• Make sure your pets have ID tags with your name and phone number
• While fireworks are crackling outside, put agitated dogs and cats in a bathroom or other room without windows
• Do not take dogs to fireworks displays
• Check with your vet about tranquilizing medication

If your animal does bolt:

• Check with local animal agencies
• Put up fliers with a photo and description of your pet
• Put up an ad on Craigslist about your lost animal

——

I crossed out the option about tranquilizing your pet because I think it is unnecessary and cruel to put your pet temporarily asleep just so you can crack fireworks.

(Source: oregonlive.com)

For many people, nothing beats lounging in the backyard on the Fourth of July with good friends and family—including the four-legged members of the household. While it may seem like a great idea to reward Rover with scraps from the grill and bring him along to watch fireworks, in reality some festive foods and products can be potentially hazardous to your pets. The ASPCA Animal Poison Control Center offers the following tips:

• Never leave alcoholic drinks unattended where pets can reach them. Alcoholic beverages have the potential to poison pets. If ingested, the animal could become very intoxicated and weak, severely depressed or could go into a coma. Death from respiratory failure is also a possibility in severe cases.

• Do not apply any sunscreen or insect repellent product to your pet that is not labeled specifically for use on animals. Ingestion of sunscreen products can result in drooling, vomiting, diarrhea, excessive thirst and lethargy. The misuse of insect repellent that contains DEET can lead to neurological problems.

• Always keep matches and lighter fluid out of your pets’ reach. Certain types of matches contain chlorates, which could potentially damage blood cells and result in difficulty breathing—or even kidney disease in severe cases. Lighter fluid can be irritating to skin, and if ingested can produce gastrointestinal irritation and central nervous system depression. If lighter fluid is inhaled, aspiration pneumonia and breathing problems could develop.

• Keep your pets on their normal diet. Any change, even for one meal, can give your pets severe indigestion and diarrhea. This is particularly true for older animals who have more delicate digestive systems and nutritional requirements. And keep in mind that foods such as onions, chocolate, coffee, avocado, grapes & raisins, salt and yeast dough can all be potentially toxic to companion animals.

• Do not put glow jewelry on your pets, or allow them to play with it. While the luminescent substance contained in these products is not highly toxic, excessive drooling and gastrointestinal irritation could still result from ingestions, and intestinal blockage could occur from swallowing large pieces of the plastic containers.

• Keep citronella candles, insect coils and oil products out of reach. Ingestions can produce stomach irritation and possibly even central nervous system depression. If inhaled, the oils could cause aspiration pneumonia in pets.

• Never use fireworks around pets! While exposure to lit fireworks can potentially result in severe burns and/or trauma to the face and paws of curious pets, even unused fireworks can pose a danger. Many types contain potentially toxic substances, including potassium nitrate, arsenic and other heavy metals.

• Loud, crowded fireworks displays are no fun for pets, so please resist the urge to take them to Independence Day festivities. Instead, keep your little guys safe from the noise in a quiet, sheltered and escape-proof area at home.

(Source: aspca.org)

 Disasters like this year’s earthquake and tsunami in Japan are stark reminders of the importance of pet disaster preparedness.

Images and news reports of dogs tethered outside evacuated homes or roaming empty streets in Japan are heart-wrenching. Many can’t help but ask why these pets were left behind in the first place. One possible reason? People simply were not prepared to take their pets with them.

In any disaster, pets that are left behind “are extremely vulnerable to the circumstances in which they are left,” says Katherine LeBlanc, communications director of the Louisiana SPCA, which launched rescue efforts during Hurricane Katrina, Hurricane Gustav and last year’s oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico.

But don’t wait for an evacuation warning to get packing. “When disaster strikes, the distractions are endless,” says Katherine. So it’s unrealistic to think that you can pack up your pet — let alone yourself and family members — when local authorities are urging you to flee.

Hurricane and tornado season are upon us. Take these essential steps now so that you are ready to leave with your pet if disaster strikes:

1. Prepare an evacuation kit. If you’re gone for a few days or more, you’re going to need more than water and food to keep your pet safe and calm.

 Use this checklist to assemble the perfect emergency supply kit for your pet:

• Bottled water. A five-day supply is a rule of thumb, says Katherine. 

• Canned food. Pack a five-day supply. 

• Can opener.  

• Treats. 

• Food and water bowls. Collapsible bowls are perfect since they take up little space. 

• Medications. It is crucial for animals with special needs to have their medications each day. A few days without them can be too long. Pack enough for a week to be safe. If your pet gets four pills a day, you can portion each day’s pills into their own plastic baggie. Or, fill a weekly pill box with the correct meds. 

• Copies of vaccination records. Most shelters require vaccination records when you check in. “In any disaster environment, it is important to carry these documentations with you in the event you cross state lines, check into a shelter or need to board your pet,” says Katherine. 

• Your vet’s contact name and phone number. 

• Extra leash and collar with ID tag. Keep a collar with an ID tag in your supply kit and put it on your pet when it’s time to go. It won’t hurt for cats to wear a collar during a disaster either. If you get separated, it will help someone identify your cat and try to contact you. Also consider adding the phone number of a friend or family member outside of the disaster zone to the tag in case you can’t be reached. 

• Current photo of your pet. “This is incredibly important as it is the only thing you have to prove ownership of your pet if claiming him in a shelter or from an emergency organization,” says Katherine. 

•  Towels/paper towels. Most pet parents know that a wet pet is not a happy pet. So make sure to have a couple of towels to keep your pet dry and warm. 

• Comfort items. Evacuating from a disaster is stressful for both people and animals. The more comfortable your pet, the calmer he will be. Pack a blanket and toys. 

• Deodorizing pet wipes. These are great to give your pet a quick wipe-down if he gets dirty or smelly. 

• First Aid kit. 

• Kitty litter and travel kitty litter box. 

• Muzzle.

2. Microchip your pet. Microchipping is extremely important in the event of a disaster. While a photo of your pet will help you identify him at a shelter, a microchip will allow the shelter to contact you if they have your pet rather than you scouring shelters. Remember to keep your information up to date with the microchipping company. “If you’ve moved or changed your e-mail or phone number, make sure to contact the company to update your information. Old information will be useless in a shelter’s search to reunite you,” says Katherine.

3. Don’t assume it’s OK to leave your pet. Assume that your pet will not be safe if left at home, says Katherine. “There are a number of things that could prevent you from coming home: destroyed house, destroyed streets, [the] government not allowing residents back in, [which] happened after Gustav,” she says. Pets left inside a home will be unable to escape in the event of a fire or rising water. Pets left outside the home, perhaps tied to a tree, could fall victim to falling branches, attacks from other animals and no access to food or water. “Both scenarios in which a pet would be left are extremely hazardous,” says Katherine. Your pet may suffer psychologically, too. “… I think any creature that goes through a stressful event will experience some degree of psychological effects,” says Katherine.
 

4. Familiarize your pet with a carrier. Pets in kennels and carriers are much easier to transport during a time of disaster. The kennel can also serve as a safe haven for your pet when the outside environment becomes chaotic. “It is important to practice getting into a kennel or cat carrier and make it a fun experience before disaster strikes,” says Katherine. “During an evacuation or disaster, everyone is so stressed that the pet will likely be hyper-sensitive to their environment,” she says. So it is important to get your pet comfortable in a kennel now. “Making the kennel a safe place will allow you to make your pet mobile, while providing a safe haven for your pet,” she says.

5. Research pet-friendly accommodations. It is difficult to identify pet-friendly shelters ahead of a disaster, as they are often put together by the government, says Katherine. “It is hard to know where they are going to be much less if they are pet friendly before disaster strikes,” she says. You can and should, however, locate boarding facilities outside of the disaster zone. Also, know which hotels or hotel chains are pet-friendly. You can search pet-friendly hotels PetsWelcome.com. There is also no harm in asking hotels that typically do not allow pets if they can waive their no-pet policy during the disaster.

6. Be prepared to flee with all of your pets. Keep in mind that you likely will need to take extra precautions if you have more than one pet. Have enough food, water and other essential items for each pet. Also, know where you can go with all of your pets. And if you plan to board any pets for the duration of the evacuation, “it is imperative to find a boarding facility outside of the disaster zone and know what their disaster plans are in the worst case scenario,” says Katherine.