Pet Tips for 4th of July

Happy July 4th!!

Did you know that more pets are lost on Independence Day than any other day?

As we get ready to celebrate our nation's birthday, Cesar Millan's blog offers some great tips on how to keep your pet safe during the holiday.

Please visit:
www.cesarmillaninc.com/tips/quick_fireworks.php

Have a wonderful and safe July 4th!

Jo Ann & "Gang"

Do Animals Have Feelings?

White tigers get new mom....

When Hurricane Hannah separated two white tigers from their mother, Anjana came to the rescue. Anjana, a chimp at TIGERS (The Institute for Greatly Endangered and Rare Species) in South Carolina, became surrogate mom and playmate to the cubs, even helping with bottle feeding. But here's the truly amazing part: This is something Anjana does all the time, having helped raised leopard and lion cubs on several occassions.

These photos are truly gorgeous. Look at the happiness in the faces of these animals.

Nothing Has Changed At Petland

Nothing Has Changed At Petland The Humane Society of the United States

Shared via AddThis

Update on Doug & Katie

Original post: The Story of Doug & Katie

Here is the latest update from Ingrid on Doug & Katie...

Hello Everybody,

I am would like to give another update on Katie and Doug. Also below that, please find a summary about them as it seems that there are some open questions.

This past week has been full of hope but also full of fear. Doug and Katie are still at the little motel but donations are coming in very slow, and I don't know how much longer we can keep them there. The hotel costs $ 325 per week and we are desperately trying to find a room to rent.

The problem is: Who is gonna rent to a homeless, unemployed man with a dog? Doug wants to work so bad, but he is limited right now because of his very painful hernia, for which he might have to wait for surgery for up to 2 years.

Donations are coming in very slowly, so it is very scary! We need your help for a little while longer.

I actually got so stressed over the weekend that I had to go to the emergency room myself with horrible cramps. They did all kinds of tests and didn't find anything besides a small infection, possibly caused by bad food.

According to the doctor my stress level caused the pain to be as bad as it was. So, I have been out for 3 days. Despite, Doug and I went to look at a room for rent yesterday that he had found in the paper. A very old man is renting it out and apparently the man who still lives in the room will move out on the weekend. But the old owner is so vague about everything that I don't know if it will really happen.

PLEASE SEND OUT A PRAYER THAT THIS WILL WORK OUT, SO THAT DOUG AND KATIE CAN BE SAFE UNTIL THEY CAN EITHER SUPPORT THEMSELVES OR GET ACCEPTED INTO THE SHELTER. (Which according to his social worker is supposed to happen within the next weeks). The pics attached show Doug and Katie in their current motel room, with the groceries bought from a donation. Doug is so thankful that he knows that he has food for every day right now.

Many ladies involved in this rescue mission have asked when Doug would shave his beard. It was a big deal for him but he did it! So, please enjoy the pics of Doug without the beard. By the way, he tells me, he has gotten a lot of compliments since. Little Miss Katie loves her Daddy with or without beard and she is soooooooooooo happy sleeping curled up next to Doug in a real bed!

One huge change, that I can see in Doug is that he begins to feel HUMAN again, not only "homeless".

PLEASE CONTINUE TO HELP DOUG AND KATIE.

Please forgive me if I forget anything vital... I am beyond exhausted.

Please advise how we can get them into a rented room!

Tomorrow, I will be contacting some larger churches to see if they can help in any way.

Please send your donations via PAYPAL

Ingrid Hurel
pajade@yahoo.de


Or to:

Ingrid Hurel
4818 W. 136th Street
Hawthorne, CA 90250

Thank you!

Summary:

Doug is originally from Pennsylvania. He is 47 years old and was adopted when he was 8 years old. He told me about some extremely traumatic experiences that he had before he was adopted and that are still affecting him today. Doug was married for over 20 years and his wife passed away about 4 years ago. She is the love of his life, and he fell into a deep depression after her passing.

He tells me about her every day, and I can see the love the two of them shared. Doug used to own a cabinet building business and would love to get back into this type of work.

Doug rescued Katie over 3 years ago from an abusive owner. She was emaciated and would flinch when petted on the head. The previous owner has also beaten her and left her in his hot car many times (it was in Lancaster where it gets VERY hot). Doug was outraged by this treatment and made it clear to this scumbag that he would not let Katie go through this anymore.

(Doug was homeless when he rescued Katie. Amazing how he, as a homeless person, can save and take care of a dog but yet many people dump their dogs just because "they move," "have a new baby," "have no more time," etc).

Well, there are no more signs of Katie's abusive past now. She is the sweetest, happiest girl and the both of them constantly exchanges kisses, conversations and playtime.

I have known Doug and Katie for almost 1 year now. When I first met them, I was struck by the amazing love and care Doug shows for Katie. He is such a caring person. I used to go by the bushes near the Freeway, where they used to live. I would make sure they are ok. I never gave him money and he never asked me for anything. I would sometimes bring dog food but most of the time, he had enough for Katie. He ALWAYS makes sure that she eats before he does.

I also was able to get both on the waiting list with PATH, the only shelter that accepts people with their pets in Los Angeles. They have been on the waiting list for 7 months now and I just spoke to the social worker today. He told me, that it is very close now, a matter of weeks before they will get accepted.

Well, a little over a month ago, Katie and Doug were chased around from hiding spot to hiding spot by the police. The police was trying "to clean up the area" of homeless people. Finally, Doug got arrested and fortunately, I was able to get Katie before they took her to the shelter. Katie is micro chipped to me and wears 3 tags with my phone number and her microchip tag.

Katie stayed at my house for one week until Doug got released and was cleared of all charges. Katie had a blast at my house and going to work with me, to Doggy Daycare. She was, of course, thrilled to see her Daddy, and Doug almost started crying when we reunited them.

Well, while in jail, they discovered that Doug had a very bad hernia. After he got released from jail, we went to the emergency hospital which just pushed the hernia back in and told him to "go home," well, the streets.

That night, we put him into a motel. He was in so much pain, he could barely walk. Well, we went back into the hospital two days later and the same thing: they send him "home." Amazingly, an American citizen can't receive medical care yet.

So, Doug and Katie have been staying at a motel for a bit over a week now.

We are actively looking to rent a room for them until they can be accepted into PATH, the shelter.

But we still need help. Donations have been coming in very slowly and the motel costs $325 per week.

Please feel free to contact me with any additional questions.

Vinegar Uses for Your Pets

Here is a great resource that features several uses of vinegar for your pet's care:

http://www.vinegartips.com/pets/

Having Trouble Affording Your Pet?

Here is a fantastic resource from the HSUS site:

http://www.hsus.org/pets/pet_care/trouble_affording_your_pet.html

HB 39 - Stop the Amish from Hurting Dogs for Profit

From S.P.A. Action Alert...

SUPPORT H.B. 39!

It takes an Amish farmer less than 5 minutes to "debark" one of his breeding dogs by hammering a steel rod down her throat - and breaking her jaw and shattering her back teeth. It takes 5 minutes for that same farmer/commercial breeder to cut off one of his dog's tail - in a filthy, dark barn without anesthesia. And it takes about the same amount of time for his thirteen year old son to tie the dog down and cut the puppies from her belly. Five minutes more to crop her ears using a pair of rusted hedge shears - the dog squirming and crying out in unbelievable pain.

So why is it taking Senator Stewart Greenleaf more than a week to decide that this is wrong?

When we called his office last week to ask why his Committee is sitting on H.B. 39, we were told by his aide that Senator Greenleaf is "reviewing" the bill. What's to review? Everyone on Capital Hill knows about this bill. It is the companion bill to H.B. 2525 that passed into law last fall. When ask, repeatedly, if Senator Greenleaf would support H.B. 39, his aide would would commit. This is surprising to us considering Senator Greenleaf not only toured Pennsylvania' s puppy mills with a reporter from the Inquirer in 1995, seeing firsthand the conditions these animals face, but he also coined the expression "Puppy Mill Capital of the East Coast" and expressed an urgent need for change. Well, Senator Greenleaf, here's your chance to bring about change and help these dogs!

H.B. 39 would make it illegal for anyone other than a licensed veterinarian to perform these procedures, or if it is already illegal for anyone but a licensed vet to perform the procedure, it will toughen the penalties.

Please contact the members of the Senate Judiciary Committee and ask them to vote the bill out of their committee so it can finally go to the floor of the Senate for a vote. The bill passed the House unanimously, and passed the Senate Agricultural Committee unanimously two weeks ago (thank you members of the Ag Committee!). This bill is a crucial step toward protecting the dogs of Pennsylvania. Please email (or call) the below legislators and ask them to to support H.B. 39 and move it to the Senate floor. Important to note, Senator Greenleaf represents Montgomery County. MLAR covers Montgomery County and many of us live in Montgomery County (I know I do) so let your voices be heard!

Bill Smith
Main Line Animal Rescue

All email addresses below end in (@pasen.gov)

Stewart Greenleaf sgreenleaf@pasen.gov
717-787-6599 or call 215-657-7700

Mary Jo White mwhite@pasen.gov

Joseph Scarnati jscarnati@pasen.gov

Patrick Browne pbrowne@pasen.gov

Jane Earl jearl@pasen.gov

John Gordner jgordner@pasen.gov

Jane Clare Orie jorie@pasen.gov

Jeffrey Piccola jpiccola@pasen.gov

John Rafferty jrafferty@pasen.gov
(represents parts of Chester, Montgomery, Berks Counties)

All email addresses below end with @pasenate.com

Lisa Boscola boscola@pasenate.com

Jay Costa costa@pasenate.com

Wayne Fontana fontana@pasenate.com

Michael Stack stack@pasenate.com

Woman saves orphaned baby deer - Ohio government wants to euthanize it and put her in jail

It never ceases to amaze me just how many idiots we have working in our government offices.
My favorite quote, "The greatness of a nation and its moral progress can be judged by the way its animals are treated." Mahatma Gandhi , says a lot about THIS nation.

How sad that the Division of Wildlife in Ohio (my own state) would advocate the killing of an innocent, orphaned fawn.... but even sadder is the fact that they now want to prosecute the woman who saved its life and found sanctuary, in another state, where it can live a safe, normal life.

From The Petition Site:

An orphaned deer in Ohio was rescued by a compassionate woman about three weeks ago, who took it to her home in Kentucky. The fawn was crying continuously, so the woman started to bottle feed it. The local community decided to find a permanent home for the fawn and started e-mailing friends to find a suitable permanent home for it. Finally a rescue and rehabilitation farm for wild animals in Kentucky was identified and the fawn was sent to the farm.

This was where this charming story turns into an example of "no good deed goes unpunished."

The woman who rescued the deer was informed by the Ohio Department of Natural Resources, Division of Wildlife that the faun had to be returned to the wild (presumably so that it could die a natural death by starvation). After the division of Wildlife was not able to intimidate the woman into doing this, they then started threatening her with 60 days jail time and a fine unless the fawn was handed over to them so that they can euthanize it and do post-mortem tests for diseases on it.

They contend that she has broken the law by (1) removing the fawn from it's natural habitat instead of leaving nature to run it's course and (2) transported the deer over state borders.

I ask members to please petition the Ohio State govenor to stop this persecution of a good samaritan, and to rather use it's financial resources to test the baby deer while it is alive, and should it come back disease free to release it either to the farm where it is currently happy, or release it , after it has been weaned, into a sanctuary.

Your support is needed urgently!

http://www.thepetitionsite.com/1/save-Bambi-now

Moscow Cat Theatre

Especially for the cat lovers who visit my blog...

http://www.flixxy.com/moscow-cat-theatre.htm

The Story of Doug and Katie

This is a story I've been monitoring for about two months. Unfortunately, I didn't keep all the original postings about Doug and Katie but the gist of the story goes something like this...

Doug and Katie were befriended by a wonderful lady and fellow rescuer named Ingrid in the Los Angeles area.

Doug and Katie are homeless and living on the street. I believe Ingrid got involved when Doug was arrested for vagrancy (taking shelter under a bridge) and poor Katie was destined for the pound where she surely would have been killed.

Ingrid was able to get the dog released to her, has completely vetted Katie, including micro chipping the dog under her name, and made sure she was safe until Doug's release. Since then, Ingrid has been trying desperately to find some type of safe shelter for this poor man and his dog. Most homeless shelters will not allow pets, but Katie is everything to Doug. He will not give up his "best friend" which means he must continue to live in the back alleys, bushes, or under the overpasses of the Los Angeles suburbs until something becomes available.

I'm not sure how Doug became homeless, or how he and Katie became friends, but it is a tragic story. A story that deserves a Happy Ending.

Ingrid has found a few other Good Samaritans who have graciously given their time and a few bucks to see that Doug has gotten some new clothes. They have opened up their homes to allow him to shower and shave, wash his dirty clothes, and provided he and Katie with a good home cooked meal.

Ingrid is trying to find someplace safe for them until one of the homeless shelters that do allow pets has an opening. The biggest problem she is having is that none of the city or county agencies are of much help as Doug has been beaten and robbed so many times that he's lost all of his identification, has no address, therefore ..... they can be of no assistance. Now how pathetic is that, folks? And people wonder why we have so many homeless people out here. If you lose your ID, they make it next to impossible to ever get a new one as you rarely are able to prove who you are, even if you know your social security number. Then they can't give you any financial assistance because you have NO address .... DUH, the person is HOMELESS .... of course they don't have an address.

Doug also has a serious hernia problem that needs medical attention. However, since he has no ID and no address... the hospital put him right back out of on the streets, because there is no financial assistance available for him at this time.

I typically do not solicit donations from other people. However, I do feel passionately about Doug and Katie's sad story. Doug's determination to, once again, become a productive member of society while keeping his beloved Katie at his side is to be commended. Ingrid is also to be commended and admired for her selfless acts of kindness and humanity.

I know times are tough right now, and we all are struggling to survive our failing economy.... but at least we have a roof over our heads, we have food to eat... food that isn't salvaged from a trash can. We are safe at night while we sleep.

Remember to thank God for that... as there are others out there that are less fortunate. When you crawl into bed tonight, with a full tummy and are safe and comfortable.... please remember Doug and Katie. Say a prayer for them .... and if you can find it in your heart, please send whatever you can to Ingrid. Even a dollar will help.

Please send donations to:

Ingrid Hurel
4818 W. 136th Street
Hawthorne, CA 90250

or via PayPal to pajade@yahoo.de.

Additional contact information for Ingrid is in the email below.

Thank you and God Bless.

Jo Ann & "Gang"

The last email I received from Ingrid...

Hello Everybody,

I have some GREAT news and some extremely BAD news from Doug and Katie.

The bad news is, that we spent again ALL day at the hospital yesterday because Doug’s Hernia came back out again (after they had pushed it in on Saturday). It came out worse, he says, it’s the size of a small softball!!! Doug is in a LOT of pain. The most unbelievable thing is, that we have to wait up to 4 weeks to see the doctor to SCHEDULE an appointment for surgery. They told us yesterday, that it can take up to 1.5 years to actually receive the surgery. I am ABSOLUTELY APPALLED. Douglas is an American Citizen and he can’t get URGENT medical treatment until possibly over one year later!!

The doctor who examined him yesterday and who I was able to speak to in my native language of German about his case, explained to me, that his Hernia is at a critical stage already. She wrote in the paperwork that she recommends, that he gets treatment ASAP. She said, that’s all she can do.

I CAN’T EVEN DESCRIBE TO YOU IN WORDS, HOW UPSETTING THIS SITUATION IS. I am extremely worried, that this can turn into a life-threatening event and Doug is by himself and what then……?

The GREAT news is, that we were finally able to get Doug and Katie into a small motel nearby. It is not the prettiest place but Doug is, according to his words: “…..jazzed, to have our own little space to be safe.” As the motel only allows SERVICE DOGS, Katie decided, that she will start working now to help her Daddy get their new life started! Katie officially became a SERVICE DOG to Doug yesterday. As you can see in the pics, Katie looks very cute in her little vest. Both, Doug and Katie were SO, SO happy to be in their little room, it even has a little fridge and a microwave. Katie started rolling on the bed immediately and Doug played with her by letting her chase his hands under the covers. It was one of the most beautiful things, to see these two interacting. There is SO much love between them and they truly adore each other and are ONE TEAM !

As a Service Dog, the MOST EXCITING part is, that Katie can go EVERYWHERE now with Doug. He used to be very uncomfortable going into any place, where he couldn’t take Katie and one of the other homeless people had to watch her.

Now, Doug can feel safe and keep Katie with him at all times.

We went to buy some groceries last night at the local “Food For Less” and Katie had her debut as a Service Dog. We were able to have her in the store WITHOUT any problem. Katie acted, as if she has done this all her life. She walked perfectly next to Doug and his shopping cart. She didn’t bark at anybody nor did she sniff excessively at any of the food.

Katie was a total pro and super well behaved. She is amazing. Doug was absolutely thrilled.

I am praying and hoping, that whoever had offered donations for Doug and Katie keep their promise. So far, we have received only one donation from a very special Lady who has stuck with us from the beginning.

I am begging you, to please come through on your offers of help and also to keep passing on their story.

Doug is ready to start looking for jobs but it won’t happen as fast as we hoped for, as he is now restricted by the Hernia condition. He is very frustrated about this, as he wants to start working so bad, now that is receiving his ID.

I am committed continue to help Doug and Katie but I can only do the legwork. I DON’T HAVE ANY MONEY. So, we PLEASE need your help to keep Doug and Katie in the motel until they get accepted into PATH (our social worker will speak to PATH again next week) or until we can find another solution.

THEY CAN NOT GO BACK INTO THE STREETS, it is too dangerous for Doug to be out there in his condition.

Doug told me, that for the first time in many years, he feels hope for a better life again and he starts believing, that it is possible for him and Katie.

Doug is making HUGE progress. Every time, I interact with him, I can see more of a difference.

The motel is $ 325 per week. We also need groceries.
Please contact me and let me know how much you would like contribute.

PLEASE DON’T LET DOUG AND KATIE DOWN!

(If you need references of my integrity as a rescuer, please let me know and I will be more than happy to provide those.)

Thank you


Ingrid
310 480 6030
Pajade@gmx.de

Dogs in Trucks

Recently, in Vermilion, Ohio, a yellow Lab named Lily was stolen from the back of a pickup truck. Fortunately, the dog was returned to her family. To watch the video news report, click here.

It is NOT SAFE for a dog to travel in the back of a pickup truck!

From the American Humane Association...

DON’T let your dog travel unsecured in an open pickup truck bed. Dogs can’t “hold on” the way humans can, and any sudden start, stop or turn can toss your pet onto the highway. If the impact of hitting the road at a high speed doesn’t kill him, oncoming traffic probably will. It is estimated that at least 100,000 dogs die this way each year.

There are other hazards to consider. Most dogs love the feeling of wind blowing past their ears at 60mph, but that wind can seriously irritate mucous membranes and blow pieces of grit into the animal’s eyes. It may require veterinary attention to remove the foreign material, which could cause permanent damage to the eye. Insects or flying debris can also lodge in the nasal passages or get sucked up into the windpipe.

Open truck beds provide no protection from the weather. Rain, snow and freezing temperatures are obvious problems, but even warm days have their dangers. Hot sun can heat the metal floor of a truck bed enough to burn a pet’s paw pads. And once the truck has stopped, a dog left sitting in the broiling sun without water or shade may suffer from heat stroke before long. It is safest to allow your dog to ride inside the truck cab, or leave him at home.

If he must ride in the back of the truck, put the pet inside a crate that will give him some protection from the wind and weather, and tie the crate securely to the walls of the truck bed, so it cannot slide about or be tossed out of the truck.

Do not leash your pet inside the truck bed, as many a dog has been strangled when tossed or bumped over the side of the truck and been left helplessly dangling. Special harnesses are available to prevent this kind of horrific accident.

I Was a Puppy Mill Dog

From the North Shore Animal League...

My name is Victoria. Up until a few weeks ago, I was a puppy mill dog. Puppy mills are horribly cruel places. I was forced to live in a small, cramped cage without proper space or shelter. I only had room to stand and lie down and there was nothing protecting my feet or body from the harsh cage wires beneath me.

Read the touching story of Victoria and watch her rescue video at:
http://www.nsalamerica.org/feature/puppy_mills/victorias-animal-rescue-story.html

Holmes County Ohio Exposed

The website www.holmescountyexposed.com recently launched to expose the puppy mill industry in Holmes County, Ohio.

The purpose for this site is to heighten public awareness of the activities in Holmes County, Ohio pertaining to the mistreatment of dogs and companion animals and their sale through "Dog Auctions".

Claims have been made by the puppy mill profliferators that the puppy business is a 9 Million Dollar per year industry for Holmes County. Yet when you look at the county statistics, this isn't reflected in published reports. Why? Not only are these "Millers" mistreating their animals... they are making a reported 9 Million Dollars per year at the dogs expense.

It's a booming business in Holmes County, Ohio and it's PUPPY MILL COUNTRY!

To learn more, visit www.holmescountyexposed.com.

Ohio Shelter Outreach Open House

Great event for both pet owners and rescue groups! Save the date!

Shelter Outreach Services of Ohio, a nonprofit veterinary clinic dedicated to providing affordable, high quality spay and neuter services to shelters, rescues and low income families is launching its new clinic with a Community Outreach Open House.

The Open House will be held at the clinic at 691 East Dublin Granville Road, 10 a.m. to 3 p.m., Saturday, June 20, 2009. This event is open to the public and free of charge. Children will have the opportunity to learn what it means to adopt an animal by “adopting” a stuffed toy. They will then learn how to keep their pets healthy as a vet tech performs a health exam on the child’s new pet. Finally, children will be able to make a gift bag to take home to their dog or cat. Adults will have the opportunity to ask questions from the veterinary staff and pick up information brochures on a number of companion animal topics.

Anyone who is currently involved in the rescue community is also invited to come to the Open House, tour the clinic and learn more about how SOS of Ohio can assist them with their rescue efforts.

Shelter Outreach Services is open Tuesday – Friday, 8 a.m. – 6 p.m. Appointments are necessary except for feral cats in traps. Any feral cat that arrives at the clinic by 3 p.m., will be spayed or neutered the same day. This open door policy allows caretakers to trap cats in the morning and still get them in the same day for surgery in order to reduce the stress of being trapped and handled.

For more information on the Community Outreach Open House or the services offered at the clinic, visit the Shelter Outreach Services of Ohio website at www.sosohio.org or call 614-396-8707.

Top 10 Reasons to Foster a Rescued Pet

1. Companionship without a lifetime commitment.
   
   
2. Animals that have endured hardship can benefit greatly from a loving home.
   
   
3. Fostering provides a great lesson in compassion to children and it’s a wonderful, life-affirming experience.
   
   
4. If you have one or more dogs or cats, one more won’t make a difference to you, but it sure will make a difference to the foster animal who otherwise might not have a second chance at life.
   
   
5. Fostering increases the likelihood of adoption. When the dog/cat you’ve fostered is loved and accepted in its forever home it is because of the love you’ve given them!
   
   
6. Increased "human interaction" greatly helps foster animals who often come from neglectful or abusive situations, and let's not forget what "pet interaction" can do for you by lowering your blood pressure, reducing stress, and giving you a real sense of self-worth.
   
   
7. You undoubtedly will get attached but when you meet the new family that's ready to provide a permanent home for the dog/cat you’ve fostered, you’ll feel more than satisfied to see him/her move on to a new life.
   
   
8. It's fun!
   
   
9. You’re able to share with your foster animal what a life filled with love should be.
   
   
10. More foster homes means more animals’ lives will be spared from pounds and kill shelters. Only a small fraction of animals impounded every year are rescued from the terrible fate of euthanasia. FOSTERING IS A REAL WAY TO SAVE A LIFE!

If you live in the Central Ohio area, and are interested in fostering for me, I'd love to hear from you. Visit my website for more info!

If you do not live in Ohio, but are interested in fostering a rescued pet, there are hundreds of rescue groups in CRITICAL need of fosters. Simply "Google" for pet rescue groups or visit adoption websites such as Petfinder.com and AdoptaPet.com to locate groups in your area.

Dog Plays Simon Says

This is so cute! The dog in this video is a Pit Bull. Enjoy!

Breed Ban Lifted in the Netherlands

From the Toronto Humane Society website. Article dated 8/8/08:

Ban against pit bulls found not to work!

In a major blow to proponents of BSL policies, Holland has lifted its ban on pit bulls!

On Monday, June 9, the Dutch Minister of Agriculture, Gerda Verburg, announced to the parliament that the rule banning pit bulls in the Netherlands would be lifted. After fifteen years, it has been found that the ban has been ineffective.

This represents a major victory for European animal advocates who have been opposing this breed specific legislation!

Read the entire story at:
http://www.torontohumanesociety.com/newsandevents/stories/2008/08-08g.asp

URGENT PETITION: Help Save Sasha

From owner Kimberly Wilson of Windsor, Ontario:

My dog Sasha has been deemed as a prohibited breed here in the City of Windsor. Sasha is Not a Pitt bull and I have a rabies certificate signed by the doctor at Lauzon Vet hospital here in Windsor with her breed as American Bulldog.

I have been served to go to court and prove she is not a Pitt bull.

The Veterinarians association does not allow Vets to determine the breed of an animal. The Vet himself told me that he is not qualified to identify a specific breed. This leads me to wonder what makes the City Officials qualified to make that judgement. Sasha has never harmed anyone nor has she ever caused trouble.

Please sign the petition and help me save her life and try to put an end to the endless number of INNOCENT animals being put to sleep.

Read the full story and SIGN THIS URGENT PETITION:
http://www.thepetitionsite.com/19/Please-Save-Sasha

Jo Ann's comments:

First, it is not only unfair but terribly unjust to seize or kill a dog because of it's breed. Until an animal becomes a menace to the community, then and ONLY then should euthanasia be considered.

Second, without DNA testing, it is impossible to determine breeds, especially a mixed breed.

It seems that law enforcement and animal control officers see "Pit Bull" in just about every dog they encounter, anymore, and city officials go along with it.

How sad that a licensed Veterinarians testimony would not be allowed over that of an unqualified, clueless law enforcement or animal control officer with little to no qualifications for determining breeds.

Although I don't live in Canada, I can honestly tell you that in the United States, most of these people couldn't tell a full-blooded Pit Bull from a Beagle/Lab mix.

Third, banning a specific breed is ludicrous. All dogs respond to what they're taught and how they're treated... it doesn't matter if it's a Pit Bull or a Chihuahua. Of course, it's become apparent that it must be easier for our city officials and law enforcement to confiscate the dog and kill it rather than prosecute the owner who is really to blame for a vicious animal.

SASHA HAS COMMITTED NO CRIME other than the fact that some unqualified person or persons have deemed her to be a banned breed. She has a clean record as a good canine citizen in her community.

It is my recommendation that the good people of Canada, as well as the people in this country, enlighten themselves to the real problem at hand. It is not a particular breed of dog that causes the problem.... it is an irresponsible, criminal-minded owner.

To kill innocent dogs is nothing more than canine genocide.

DID WE LEARN NOTHING FROM THE HITLER REGIME? Lots of innocent people died... and now lots of innocent dogs are dying.

I respectfully ask the city officials of Windsor to reconsider your ban on specific breeds and also to allow Sasha to live.

Even if she is a Pit Bull or a Pit mix, she has done nothing to warrant being killed.

Sky Ark Adds Transport Request Center

Sky Ark has done a major overhaul on their website (http://www.skyark.org/). They have added a Transport Request Center. It is similar to what Angel Flight does but SkyArk has it set-up for both ground and air transport.

This is their first update in over 2 years. This is due to the founders having to deal with their 12 year old son having a lime size tumor removed and then finding out it was cancer. Casey has undergone 6 weeks of radiation and now is undergoing 9 months of chemo. Casey wanted to get the website helping more animals - so SkyArk added the addition of combining air and gound transport for animals.

The Transport Request Center is like an eLance "freelancer" type setup - where Requesters and Transporters can work to get animals and pet transported for free or at a very low cost if the transported is a commerical transporter. Requesters can even rate transporters and there is even an escrow service (for free) for anyone to use for the transfer of animals or pets.

The service has just started and not many request are listed - but I see it growing very fast and becoming the Petfinders of transporting of animals and pets.

Regards,
Sky Ark
http://www.skyark.org/