Beluga Whales in Danger

Petition from the NRDC:

Industry giants are pressuring the Obama Administration to abandon endangered beluga whales in Cook Inlet, Alaska. We need your urgent action to help protect these rare whales from extinction.

Please tell the National Marine Fisheries Service to finalize its proposal to designate an area of more than 3,000 square miles as critical habitat for Cook Inlet beluga whales.

Cook Inlet belugas live in one of the most populated and industrialized regions in Alaska. Their health and habitat is continuously threatened by the devastating effects of development and pollution.

In fact, this genetically distinct population of beluga whales has plummeted in number from 1,300 in the 1980s to fewer than 400 today.

Following years of advocacy by NRDC and others, the National Marine Fisheries Service proposed designated critical habitat for Cook Inlet beluga whales under the Endangered Species Act this past December.

Without these habitat protections, which are backed by decades of scientific research and data, Cook Inlet beluga whales could be wiped out forever.
Yet powerful industries are falsely claiming that designating critical habitat will hurt local development.

In truth, this designation simply helps ensure that new development projects will move forward with safeguards necessary to protect belugas and their habitat.

Please make your voice heard right now.

In Loving Memory of Daddy the Pit Bull

Cesar Millan, all his family and friends, his staff and volunteers, and dog lovers all around the world today will mourn the passing of one of the most loyal, trusting, well-balanced, and influential pit bull ambassadors the world has ever known. Daddy, Cesar’s longtime friend and partner in canine rehabilitation, died peacefully surrounded by family on Friday the 19th of February. He was sixteen years old.

See Daddy's Memorial Page on the Cesar Millan website.

We have lost one of the greatest ambassadors for the Pit Bull breed our country has ever known.

"Daddy" was the finest example of what a Pit Bull truly is.

How sad that our news media and law enforcement only seems to focus on the negatives with this breed and continue to label them as "vicious killers" -- and insist upon trying to ban them from society.

To me, it certainly doesn't take the brains of a rocket scientist to figure out that any time you have a vicious dog, no matter what breed, an irresponsible "human" is to blame.

We have a decorated War Hero, Sgt. Stubbs, and a movie star, Petey, from the Little Rascals -- both were Pit Bulls -- as well as countless others who have performed services to their communities, including saving human lives.

Even some of Michael Vick's dogs have gone on to become therapy dogs in hospitals and nursing homes. However, none of these dogs made the front page of our local newspapers or the feature story on the evening news. It's always the unfortunate Pit Bull who fell into the wrong "human" hands that make headlines. How unfair to this breed to be so "one-sided."

Cesar Milan's "Daddy" showed the entire world what a true loving disposition these dogs have as well as the achievements they have accomplished.

Our hearts and prayers go out to Cesar and his family for the loss of their beloved Daddy.

Little Junior will have some mighty "Big Paws" to fill, but I'm sure he's up to the challenge and will soon become our next Ambassador for the Breed.

Licking County Dog Pound

WARNING: GRAPHIC VIDEO!

I find it somewhat hard to write a comment on this video as I usually try to post the brighter side of companion animals and what an important role they play in our lives. They are truly one of God's amazing creations. They entertain us, they protect us, but most importantly... they love us unconditionally, and stay steadfast and true till the very end. Now, just how many of you can say that about a friend or even a spouse?

With that being said, let me try to address the importance of this graphic video.

First of all, I couldn't even watch it all the way through as I felt myself getting sick. Being a rescuer for many years, I fully understand that this horrible means of euthanasia still exists in many areas of our country. Some pounds still use heart stick, which is nothing more than jamming a needle, hooked up to electricity, into the animal's heart and turning on the "juice". These animals have no form of sedation and are basically tortured to death. Gas chambers aren't any better. Tragically, there are still some states within our country that do not have licensing for "humane euthanasia" by injection, which I find unbelievable in the year "2010". However, OHIO does, indeed, have this licensing but, unfortunately, we still have county pounds here that refuse to move into the 21st century by continuing this barbaric means for disposal of the pet overpopulation problem. Even sadder is the fact that these "good 'ole boys" seem to enjoy the horrific death they inflict upon these poor discarded animals.

Hooray for Bonnie Mansfield (see article links below) and her efforts to bring this problem in Licking County to light. However, it just isn't Licking County. There are many other counties, within Ohio, that refuse to evolve out of the "Dark Ages" as well.

Now, yes, I do understand that "euthanasia" is still needed because people just can't seem to grasp the concept of "SPAY OR NEUTER" your pets, along with the "back yard breeders" and puppy mills... and until they do, we will continue to have this overwhelming problem of too many animals with nowhere to go.

However, if these animals need to die, there is absolutely no reason why they should have to suffer the cruelty of gas chambers (or heart stick) at the hands of people like Jon Luzio.

Shame on the residents of Licking County for giving this "good 'ole boy" a salary of over $47,000 a year to continue gassing poor animals when lethal injection is available. Perhaps if the good citizens of this county voted for a "decrease" in his salary, Licking County could afford the Sodium Pentobarbital needed for a more humane practice of euthanasia.

Please remember that "YOU" are part of the problem unless "YOU" take action. If your state or county still uses unacceptable forms of euthanasia, STAND UP AND MAKE YOUR VOICE HEARD. This is the 21st Century. If we can put men into space... then there is no reason any animal should have to suffer the tortures of being gassed or electrocuted.

I think this quote by Martin Luther King, Jr. says it all:

"Never be afraid to do what's right, especially if the well-being of a person or animal is at stake. Society's punishments are small compared to the wounds we inflict on our soul when we look the other way."


Writer challenges 'Watchdog'
Letter to the Editor - Buckeye Lake Beacon
January 30, 2010

Watchdog responds to critic
Letter to the Editor - Buckeye Lake Beacon
February 6, 2010

Watchdog says director, gas chamber need to go
Letter to the Editor - Buckeye Lake Beacon
February 20, 2010

Genuine Tolerance

This is what GENUINE TOLERANCE looks like...