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/