Truths: I will continue to fight for the dogs despite world tragedy

Last night I found myself in tears watching the video footage of the body of a small child wash up on a Turkish beach.  He is another victim of the Syrian migrant crisis.  Thousands of innocent people fleeing their country just to save their own lives.  He, his brother and their mother all died when they fell off the small rubber boat attempting to cross the sea to start a new life away from war and terror.

The news coverage showed the dead boy face down on the beach as well as the gut wrenching footage of the father in tears.

Earlier this week, a police officer was shot in cold blood in a town adjacent to where I grew up.  A town where violence didn’t exist.  A town I spent countless hours in as a child walking the streets, playing freely, picking daisies with my great grandma.  The tragedy took place only blocks from my grandma’s home.

The officer went to my high school.  His younger brother once a good friend of mine.

Each day I write in defense of animals.  I fight against puppy-mills.  I advocate for shelter animals.  I encourage people to adopt.  The blood of animals runs through me.  My soul bares their scars.  My heart feels their pain.

Last night, after the news and the horrific image of the Syrian boy and the death of the police officer – so close to my home, I felt forced to take pause.  I questioned my fight for the animals.  It is impossible to see an innocent boy dead on a beach and not wonder if fighting for the animals is what is important in this lifetime.

My head was spinning, my heart was hurting.  Tears were streaming down my face.  Completely overwhelmed by the enormity of tragedies across the globe, it was hard to find peace.

Finally, I took a deep breath and asked myself, “Why do I have to choose?  Why is it animals OR people?”

The truth is that it is about kindness and peace for all creatures.

For me, it starts with animals.  People come with baggage and opinions and beliefs.  It is easy to understand why we can’t get along and why it is, often, so hard to find common ground and live peacefully among one another.

But, dogs come with no predisposed beliefs.  They don’t come with a religion or a race or an income bracket.  They always accept each of us as we are.  They are the most loyal and loving companions on Earth.  To treat them as poorly as we do, makes no sense, and, leaves me little hope for our ability to genuinely love one another.

I believe as a human race we have lost all sense of human kind.

For many, human life takes precedent over animal life.  It is not my belief, but I can find reason to respect it.  However, I challenge those who feel that way, to think beyond themselves and to look around and seek true peace.  The kind of peace that only comes when you see yourself as one small part of the universe.  Where you see humans and animals and the ocean and the sky as equals.

The wholeness of the world cannot be divided into pieces and placed in a hierarchy.  All parts must work in unison.

We have done a phenomenal job destroying ourselves.  Each day more violence, more hate.  The world gasps at the little boy on the beach, only to shake their heads with a degree of acceptance at the terrorism behind the Syrian crisis.  The nation cries at the news of a dead officer, yet continues to believe they are helpless to end the war on police.

Sadly, we have come to accept a degree of violence.  We are learning to live in a world full of opposition and hostility.

The refugees of Syria haunt my dreams.  The police officer’s death in my hometown pulls at my heartstrings, but I will continue to fight for the dogs, because I believe once everyone can see the innocence in the dogs, once everyone can see the pureness of their souls,  once we can treat dogs with compassion, I believe we will have awakened a kinder spirit in our own souls.  We will see, with complete clarity, the meaning of life.  We will understand that we, as humans, are but one part of the universe.  We will understand that our purpose is to be kind and to display compassion indiscriminately.

We will finally understand our life’s journey is to the leave the world a better place.

 

 

 

Tails: There is Joy

I spent the weekend at two festivals all about dogs.  Both were fundraisers for animal welfare organizations, but the general public was invited and encouraged to bring their furry friends.

I watched dogs and their families smile all weekend.  Tails wagged as people introduced themselves and their furry companions.  I saw dogs of all shapes, sizes and colors.  I even saw a brown and white Newfie, a silver lab and an Ibizan hound – dogs I had never seen in person before.  Big dogs, small dogs, barking dogs, shy dogs – I was surrounded by so many 4 legged creatures, I couldn’t help but feel joy.

I don’t really know the last time I felt pure joy around a dog.  I know that sounds crazy, coming from someone so passionate about dogs, but when you surround yourself with likeminded, overly passionate animal rescuers, you can forget the joy a dog can bring to your life.

When you rescue dogs and fight for their welfare every day, you simply forget that dogs are amazing and fun and can make even the grouchiest person smile, because you are too overwhelmed by the horror they managed to survive.  I don’t know the last time I looked into a dog’s eyes and felt happiness.  Instead, I look and see their history, their scars.  I see their past and I feel their pain.

If I dig deep enough, I can recall the dogs I had growing up: Spunky, Lassie, Taffy, and Apples.  The days before I found myself entrenched in animal welfare, I was simply enamored by the unconditional love of a dog.  There was nothing better than a dog – nothing.

In Del Mar, CA there is this amazing dog beach.  The very first time I went I was absolutely overcome with emotion.  I sat on a giant rock and spent hours watching as dogs played in the surf and with each other.  It is my heaven.  To see dogs enjoying life, living free and easy.  To see them loved by people.  To see so many dogs happy and healthy.

Today, as I look into my dogs’ eyes, I see Amish puppy mills, rusty cages, years of neglect.  I see the dirty streets of Chicago.  I feel a sense of panic and loss.  I don’t ever see joy.

It is not that I don’t love my dogs.  Nothing could be further from the truth.  I would die for them without question.  What is true is that I have to come to love them because of their scars and not for the joy they bring me.

I think I have failed them.

It is one thing to show unconditional love, to remain patient and supportive as an abused dog heals and learns to trust, but it is another to allow that dog’s past to become his only identity.  I admit, in many ways, I have done that.  I do that.

I have become so accustom to horrific stories, that I have overlooked the true beauty in dogs.  I have allowed myself to forget the happiness they stir inside of us and the joy they bring to our lives.

I needed last weekend.  I needed to be surrounded by dogs and their people who simply love one another no strings or baggage attached.

It is too easy to become cynical and jaded and hardened in animal rescue.  I look at dogs and see a world of cruelty instead of a world of love.

Last night, as I snuggled up to my dogs on the sofa, I let them be dogs and not sad stories.  When I held them close and their tails softly wagged, I felt pure joy.

 

 

Truths: Why are truths so unfathomable?

Each and every day, I am both amused and disheartened by the number of people who tell me they didn’t know about puppy mill dogs or puppy mills stores (AKA Petland).  However, what crushes me is the number of people who don’t believe me when I tell them about the conditions of the mills, the involvement of the AKC, and the lack of laws to protect the dogs.  Why would I lie?

Yesterday, as I watched World News Tonight, I was bombarded with stories that the majority of people choose not to believe – even me.

Let me premise this by saying none of these examples are meant to outshine the other, I am not equalizing babies and coral reefs.  I, simply, want to show how even when the facts surface in our face, we look the other way.

I will start with Planned Parenthood.  I am pro-choice and while I have never been to Planned Parenthood, I have believed it to be a good place.  I have a dear friend who is a social worker and who has told me that many of the services Planned Parenthood provides are services people could never otherwise get in their communities.  There appears to be a need for Planned Parenthood.

When the allegations of “selling baby parts” surfaced, I was among the first to disregard them.  I chalked it up to the “right” fighting the “left” on abortion.  Another election, another debate on female reproduction.

Yet, yesterday as I watched the video footage they warned could be alarming, I watched with the heart of a puppy mill fighter.  Here was a woman in tears explaining what she saw with her own eyes and her own ears.  I couldn’t help but relate to her.  And, I couldn’t help, but wonder, “Why am I so reluctant to believe her truth?”

Later in the show was a segment on the destruction of the coral reef.  Google has partnered to photo map most of the reefs in the world.  A complete 3D underwater mapping.  It is amazing.   Since the reefs exist underwater, they are also out of sight and few people can see the destruction, so it is all an attempt to PROVE that the coral reefs are being destroyed by the effects of climate change.  In 5 years, they will map the reefs again to show the extent of the damage.  The increased water temperatures are killing it.  Ah, climate change… few people have chosen to believe that truth, yet, study after study continues to show it is real.

Why are we, as a group, so hesitant to believe truths that impact our world.  It bothers me each and everyday as I fight for mill dogs.  Why would I lie?  I have nothing financial to gain.  The fight I fight is for the animals.

I am sure those fighting climate change would say the same.  They are fighting to preserve our world and while I am sure there are corporations at stake, just like the millers, most of the people fighting for the cause are doing it because they believe in it and want to see the world survive.

I didn’t want to believe the horrific things about Planned Parenthood selling body parts, but after watching that woman’s video, I find myself re-considering.  If choice isn’t what is on the table, if people just believe that the back side of the clinic is what needs to change, then I tend to believe her.  I feel like I need to believe her because I need people to believe me.

I am her, sitting in tears, telling people about the awful things I have seen in puppy mills.

For months people in America did not believe what Hitler was doing in Germany and it cost people their lives.  There are so many tragic things going on today and people continue to look the other way.  Are we afraid of what the truths say about us a human race?  Is it too hard to embrace the truths and then look in the mirror at the people we have become?

Baby parts being sold in the back of a clinic isn’t ideal by any standard.  Man’s best friend sitting in filth, rotting away till death should be intolerable.  The ocean’s reef burning into oblivion is not what nature intended.

I often say that we have become a very narcissitic society and as I look at the truths we choose to ignore, I feel, sadly, affirmed.

My husband and I went big last weekend and spent Saturday night at the local county fair.  There are so many things I want to say about the fair, but they are for another blog.  Today, I am gonna focus on one small thing: the goldfish I won playing a carnival game.

Now, to be completely fair, it was MY idea to play the game.  And, I realize what a hypocrite that makes me.  In my defense, seeing the thousands of the fish in little tiny clear plastic bags just sitting there made my heart break into just as many pieces.  Fish are creatures, too.  The rescue person in me just couldn’t be pushed aside.

$5.00 later and we were walking away with a decent size goldfish in a cute little blue plastic carrier.  My husband spared no expense to make me happy.

Our family has been down this road before and it has never ended well.  This time was gonna be different.  Immediately, after leaving the fair, we stopped at the grocery store to get fish food and some chemicals to de-chlorinate the water.  That much I already knew.

We got home and I found the fish bowl every American family has sitting in the back basement. Cleaned it out, stuck in the plastic plant, prepared the water, and let “Doc Ford” splash into his new pond.  I felt as liberated as I hoped he was.

The next morning I began googling, “Caring for the goldfish you won at the fair” because that is a real search – one done thousands of times.  Instantly, I saw the briefings of forums warning parents of the actual care that goes into having a goldfish.  The number one precaution, “A goldfish cannot survive in a bowl!”

The "aquarium" Doc Ford came with that would have eventually killed him.

The “3 cup” aquarium Doc Ford came with that would eventually kill him.

Crap!  Why didn’t I ever search this before?

Not only can a goldfish NOT survive in a goldfish bowl (how in the hell can they name something after an animal that does not even suit them?), for every goldfish you have, your tank should be at least 10 gallons.

I glanced over at the cute little blue carrier they gave us at the fair.  I would have been surprised if it held a total of 3- 8oz cups of water.  My eyes carried me to the “large” bowl I put Doc Ford in.  In my head I compared it to a gallon of milk.  I would be surprised if a gallon of milk would fit in the bowl I thought was Lake Michigan for Doc Ford.

Since I was on the computer, I quickly typed in Amazon.com and figured with my Prime account, I could have a new tank in 2 days with free shipping.  As I scrolled through all of the 10 gallon tanks, there wasn’t a single one for under $50.  And, of course, the ones I liked the best, the ones that would look chic in my kitchen were well over $100 and all of their reviews were, “Not good for a goldfish.”

To keep my $5 fish alive, I was gonna have to shell out some cash and live with a tank in my kitchen.

My family kept saying, “Wait to see if he lives a week before you spend that kind of money.”

Their commentary made sense, however, after all that I read on ten different goldfish forums, I knew that if I didn’t get at least a 10 gallon tank, Doc Ford had a near zero chance of surviving. See, while it is true that goldfish will only grow to the size of their tank, the reality is their insides don’t actually stop growing.  So, they die because their organs have nowhere to go.

There is also the problem with high ammonia levels.  Goldfish are extremely messy and poop all of the time.  Without a filter or larger amounts of water, the fish die of ammonia poisoning.  From what I read, it is a horrible death.

I would see Doc Ford gasping at the  top of the bowl and feel like a fish killer.  I changed his water constantly, which I also learned was only stressing him out.  I couldn’t take it anymore.

FullSizeRender-10

Doc Ford’s new ocean

 

I drove to Walmart and with only a few options, found a 20 gallon tank for the low price of $59.97.  It came with lighting and a filter.  Add $20 more for some gravel and a few plastic plants and for just under $100, by early afternoon Doc Ford was presented with a mansion and no mortgage.

I am watching him right now swim around his new digs.  I worry that he can’t breathe, that I didn’t de-chlorinate the water enough, that it is too warm, and that he doesn’t understand to       look on the top of the water for his food.

I have transformed puppy-mill dogs from scared, empty shells of nothing into loving certified therapy dogs, but I don’t know a damn thing about goldfish.

So, I just got off the phone with my husband, telling him all about Doc Ford’s newly appointed epic home. Within minutes,  I started ranting about how wrong it all is: the concept of the fair and the goldfish games.  (They also had a game where you could win hermit crabs).  I said to Bill, “Not everyone has $100 to set-up an aquarium for the goldfish they won at the fair.  They are basically setting the fish up to die.”

Of course he agreed with me.  One, I am right and two, he knows not to argue about animals with me.  But, he said, “Well, in reality though, how long would that fish last anyway?”

“12 years or more, ” I said, “That is what I read on the forums.  A goldfish can last well over 12 years with the right care.”

As only a husband of an animal advocate could reply, he said, “How about you free all the puppy-mill dogs first and then worry about the goldfish at the fairs?”

Yes, the mill dogs first, but as I watch Doc Ford and see him swim into walls, I just hate the idea that hundreds of little kids took home goldfish last week.  Those goldfish are sitting in the 3 cup carriers basically waiting to die.   The only satisfaction I get from any of it is knowing that Doc Ford is what they call a feeder fish.  Had he not been at the fair, he would have likely been another fish or creature’s dinner.

Doc Ford is just another example of what is wrong with the world.  We see such creatures as meaningless, worth nothing.  I don’t blame parents for not shelling out the cash for a 10 gallon aquarium just for the $5 goldfish and I know it is hard to say no to a child (or an adult) who wants to play the game and win a pet.  Just as we have done with the pet stores, stopping the cruelty at the point of sale, we must one day do with the fairs.  We must end the goldfish game because people don’t know any better and the best way to prevent more goldfish from needlessly dying in a 3 cup carrier, is to stop marketing them like prizes we can throw away.

Tails: The Tide Has Turned

I have been driving a lot in the last week.  Driving allows me to get in my head and really concoct some twisted ideas.  Let me briefly describe varying incidents that contributed to my concoction.

One day, while not driving, I found myself tuned into an older TV show, “Judging Amy.”  Without going into unnecessary detail, a part of the show portrays the Department of Children and Family Services.  A day later, I found myself in the Walmart parking lot watching as a police officer was called to the scene to investigate a dog locked in a hot car.  The woman who called was frantic.  She was getting water and trying to get the owner of the dog to give it to him.  The officer was attempting to explain to the woman how unsafe it was to leave the dog in the car.

On my next 100 miles, I had a “Aha” moment.  If you will humor me for the next few minutes and let me share my moment with you, I would love to further spur my idea.  I believe the tide has turned and we, as a society, no longer need government agencies like Animal Control or the Department of Agriculture to protect us, as human beings, from domestic animals.  (I am not suggesting the Dept. of Ag should give-up inspecting meat sources or farming)

I think that we have emerged as a nation who seeks to protect animals from humans and not vice versa.  That said, organizations like Animal Control not only portray inconsistency with society’s goal, they have become a deterrent for accomplishing it.  The Department of Ag walks into mass breeding facilities with the mindset of food inspection and not the goal of humane treatment.  The two main animal governing agencies no longer support the ideals of the country.  I think we need to change things completely.

Let me insert a disclaimer here… I am not an expert on government agencies.  I know little about how they are funded or how they are managed from a federal/state perspective.  I think we can all estimate that they are a mess like the rest of this country, so we can assume that my ideas are just as feasible as what we have today.

This is how I picture things changing… On a federal level we create, The Department of Domestic Animal Protective Services (DDAPS)  On a federal level,  we determine basic laws and regulations and make any necessary changes to the Animal Welfare Act.  We take money from the Dept. of Ag budget to accomplish this.  Currently, puppy-mill inspections are conducted under the Dept. of Ag.  In my opinion, not only has it been ineffective, it is the wrong mindset. We are not trying to eat dogs, we are trying to protect them.  Any monies designated for these types of inspections would now be going towards DDAPS.

DDAPS would be the governing body of the state level DDAPS facilities.  ANY city, county, or town who managed a municipal shelter would now use that funding to run DDAPS.  There would NO longer be any animal controls.  They would all be replaced by DDAPS.

When I say replaced, I mean replaced because I, personally, I am really tired of random government employees becoming the directors of Animal Control facilities.  DDAPS would be run by leaders in the animal welfare community, not the ex-manager of streets and sanitation.  DDAPS employees and volunteers would be vetted in animal care.  They would be people who are passionate about no kill and ending puppy-mills and starting TNR programs.  They would NOT be people buying time to get government pensions.

Let’s talk about the day to day functions and responsibilities of DDAPS.  They would run no kill shelters.  These would be open access shelters who also provide low-cost spay/neuter, low cost microchips and low cost vaccinations.  They would offer adoptable animals to the public and work with local rescues on animals who require additional care or have specific needs.

I emphasize local rescues because I also believe we need to get a better handle on shipping animals to other states.  Yes, certain demographic areas have larger stray animal populations, but there are animals dying needlessly in almost every state in America.  Shipping the animals around is not the answer.  I believe, if run correctly, DDAPS would allow each state to better manage its own animal population.

Each DDAPS facility would be responsible for inspecting area rescues, shelters, and breeding facilities.  There have been way too many hoarding cases and neglect cases among rescues and shelters in the last few years.  I believe that no one is exempt from giving proper care to animals.  These facilities would train both staff and volunteers to do inspections, all with the mindset of “protecting the animals.”

DDAPS facilities would also be responsible for community outreach.  They would offer school programs to educate children on animal cruelty and how to properly care for pets.  They would offer under-served areas the opportunity to provide for their pets by supplying leashes, bowls, food, etc.  They would promote Return to Owner programs and provide resources to help lost dogs get home.  If needed, they would have the power to step in and get the dog to the proper owner.

In each DDAPS facility, there would be trained officers who would manage bite incidents.  Anything having to do with illegal activity would be handled by local police, while the animals involved would be under the care of DDAPS.  Rabid bats would go to the health department.

I don’t know what you are thinking, but I am rather excited.  I realize all of this comes with a price.  Money the government says they never have.  I disagree.  No, I don’t know the exact numbers, but here is what I do know:

DDAPS facilities would be managed and ran by both paid and unpaid staff.  I truly believe that there is a HUGE population of people who would love to volunteer at the type of organization I am describing.  I know I would.  I long for the day someone hands me a checklist and an address for a puppy-mill and tells me to come back with an inspection report.

I believe that there is a large population who would privately support organizations like this by donating towards specific programs such as community outreach or veterinary care.  I think there are veterinarians who would do work at facilities like this pro bono or for little cost.

People are tired of the way things are.  People want to see things change for animals.  People want to be involved in protecting them.  People are tired of the current government agencies getting in the way of doing these things.  The systems we have in place today are antiquated.  They speak to days when people threw animals to the curb, when people thought most dogs were rabid, and when people didn’t understand TNR cats.  Today we spend billions on our pets.  Most people sleep with them in their beds.  People fly with their pets, dine with their pets and treat them like companions.

The tide has turned and it is time we re-create laws and governing bodies that uphold what we believe as a society.

I am ready and 100% serious.  Let’s do this!

…and if you are presidential candidate reading this – make this the top of your agenda and you have my vote!

 

Tails: I want to be a normal person

Today I want to take my three dogs and run away.  I want to disconnect from Facebook and Twitter and NEVER again hear of another dog in need.   I want to forget all of the horrors I have seen at dog auctions and erase my memories from working at Animal Control.  I just want to be a normal person again.

I am only 12 years into the profession of animal welfare.  I realized yesterday I am burned out.  I just spent all of last week surrounded by people like me.  People working towards a No Kill world.  People trying to dismantle breed legislation.  People yearning to “Save Them All.”  Sadly, even amongst them, I felt a sense of loss and uncertainty.  I think I have been surrounded too long.

No matter how many times I tell myself or how many times others (the normal people) tell me different, I do feel like the weight of the world is on my shoulders.  I feel like if I don’t post that dog on death row, or blog about CACC, I am worthless.  I can’t walk by a dog without wondering, “Did they adopt or buy him at a pet store?”  I can’t buy dog food without having an anxiety attack wondering what food is the best.  I can’t drive by a municipal shelter without wondering what their live release rate is and what innocent dogs are going to die today.

Basically, I can no longer enjoy any aspect of dogs without wondering about all of the bad shit.  It is emotionally exhausting.  I am desperate to remember what it was like to be a normal person. To be content because I adopted three dogs and not feel the pressure to Save Them All.

I am beyond the concept of adopting more to make a difference.  I learned along the way that I, personally, cannot save them all by keeping 100 dogs at my house.  Yet, I still am under the impression, that I, personally, MUST do something(s) everyday to be a valuable human being.

I yearn to be the person who dresses up their Shih Tzu (I have one – I bought her at a mill auction.  4 1/2 years a breeding dog) and takes her to a fancy pet store to look for new clothes.  Instead, I am the person who blogs about her overused uterus.

I would love to be the person who goes to the dog park everyday to throw tennis balls.  Instead, I am the person educating everyone on how I rescued my dog from death row because he had 3 pelvic fractures and the municipal shelter was going to euthanize him.

Often I feel paralyzed by the overwhelming impact we each have on the world.  “Don’t eat meat.”  “Don’t go to the circus.” “Don’t wear leather.”

I was washing my car yesterday and noticed all of the dead bugs on the windshield.  It seemed the perfect analogy to me.  I feel like my life has gotten to the point where to save them all, I cannot live.  The only way I could have avoided killing all of those bugs (99% of them I never even saw hit the windshield) is to not leave my house and to not participate in life.

I realize that is an exaggeration.  Of course, each of us can live a full life while choosing to protect the animals, but at this moment, I feel too overwhelmed to figure it out.  I want to clear my head of all the crap I have seen – the dead animals, the bullshit animal welfare politics and start over.

I want to be a normal person who sees animals for the happiness they bring and not the one thousand horrific things I see, such as: death, despair, cruelty, and neglect.

Long before I wrote a book or found myself speaking to legislators, I wore old clothes, often covered in poop, and cleaned cages.  I spent hours sitting on concrete floors, cuddling shelter animals and telling them that they deserved a second chance.

My journey took me away from those experiences.  I have found myself involved on a much different level surrounded by politics and statistics and the day to day scrutiny of animal welfare practices.  Somehow along the way, it became more about “everything” and less about the two eyes with a tail staring back at me.

I want to be mesmerized again by merely hugging a shelter dog.  I want to find complete joy in brushing a homeless cat.  I want to re-ignite my passion for animals simply by sitting in a dirty dog kennel and feeling like I am saving a life.

I want to start over and be a normal person again.

 

 

 

Tails: I believe there are too many

The idea that there is an overpopulation of dogs is controversial.  There are actually people, whom I respect, who say there isn’t an overpopulation of dogs.  They say that if we could just find the right marketing techniques and educate the public better, all the shelter dogs would find a home.

Perhaps, that is true.

I am extremely passionate about two areas of animal welfare: puppy-mills and municipal shelters.  Having spent a lot of time studying them and immersed in their horrors, I, personally, believe that there is an overpopulation problem.  I think that if we stopped the mass breeding of dogs COMPLETELY, ALL of the dogs in city shelters WOULD be adopted.

I believe we need to limit people’s choices of dogs.  I realize that sounds unAmerican.  Like I am taking away a civil liberty, but the masses have demonstrated that they don’t know any better.  People continue to pass up the matted, scared Shih Tzu in the shelter for $80 and go purchase the same exact dog in a pet store for $1200.  They overlook the yellow lab bouncing in it’s shelter run for $65 and buy one from a breeder for $800, only to realize a few months later that their dog is now bouncing in it’s run at home.  They don’t even consider a mixed breed at the shelter only to go on-line and buy a “Shi-poo” for $1500.

I also believe that if we limited the number of dogs bred in our country, the Pitbulls and Pit mixes would stand a better chance of adoption.  If people had less to choose from, Pits would become more appealing.  And, if we spent less time dealing with an overpopulation of dogs, we could spend more time working on educating people on the breed.  Pitbulls have to be the most misunderstood breed of the century.

The truth is, if I were President, there would be a moratorium on breeding.

The 3 dogs pictured above are my dogs.  The tan dog, Jack, was saved by my rescue.  He was going to be euthanized at the city shelter because he had been hit by a car and no one wanted him.  The Shih Tzu and the Chinese Crested I bought at an Amish dog auction.  No one wanted them.  They spent their lives in boxes.  No one even knew they existed.

Yesterday, I posted their post-grooming pictures on Facebook.  Lots of people commented on what beautiful dogs they were.  How cute they were.  How lucky I was.

My dogs are all throw-away dogs.  Yet, now that they are living in a loving home and getting proper care, people think they are “special” that they are “worthy.”

My dogs are the very dogs people pass over at the shelter, yet go on-line or to pet stores to buy.  Dogs like mine come by the thousands to city shelters across the states.  Dogs like mine  are killed every day, simply because there aren’t enough homes to place them in.

Maybe it is about education and marketing, but the reality continues to stare me in the face.  There are too many dogs for people to choose from and that means there are way too many good dogs being killed in shelters.  Let’s stop the breeding until ALL dogs have a home.

Tails: How do we change apathetic?

Every single day I see sad stories of dogs falling through the municipal shelter system.  Good dogs killed due to absolutely NO fault of their own.  Good dogs of all breeds and ages.  Pure bred dogs.  Friendly dogs.  Lost dogs.

Thousands of dogs die every single day.  Dogs who, if found under different circumstances, would be loving companions.  Instead, they are shoved into cold, concrete kennels and left to suck it up.  One, small change in behavior and they are now “not adoptable.”

People, like me, shed tears each and every time we see a Facebook post showing the pictures of these happy dogs who are now dead.  64 in Georgia just a few weeks ago.

People like me get angry.  We scream for more to be done.  We beg for taxpayers to demand better.  We shake our heads and throw our hands up.  Yet, change remains slow and stagnant.

Today, I am sincerely asking, “How do we change apathetic?”

The truth is that while dog ownership is a billion dollar business, the reality is not enough people are adamant  about saving the dogs in shelters.  If we could take 25% of how people like me feel and implant that passion in the remaining public, I think we could accomplish great things.  But, how do we do that?

If the written word were my voice, I am certain I would be hoarse.  I spend time every day preaching about homeless dogs in city shelters.

I also spend a lot of my time and effort  convincing people of the relationship between pet stores and puppy-mills and, for whatever reason, I feel like that fight has gotten easier.  People seem to be getting that message quicker.  More people understand that puppy-mills are bad.

Less people appear to believe that anything positive can be done at city shelters.  The general public seems content with the crappy way shelters operate.  They seem at peace with the numbers of dogs being killed.  Why?

Seriously, why?

There are groups popping up all over demanding more transparency at city shelters.  Groups teaming up to save the dogs from being killed.  Groups coming out to protest city shelter actions and policies.  There is an upheaval on the horizon.  I am excited.

However, until people like me can get Joe Citizen to act, to care, to demand…I don’t know how much we can accomplish.

Like Kathy Pobloskie said in her blog about Joni, “As long as good dogs continue to die, I will continue to write about them,” but we have to do more.  We have to find ways into the heads and hearts of the common citizen.  We, animal people, are beyond passionate about city shelter killing, but what can we do to change the mindsets of ALL citizens.  What can we do to instill our passion and get taxpayers to truly demand change?

I believe that IS the key to No Kill.

Tails: When did the truth become unlawful?

For the last two weeks, I have sat quietly. I have observed quite a few things making me profoundly question the state of animal welfare in our country. I feel lost and yet, I feel outraged.

Two weeks ago, 64 dogs were killed in Clayton county, GA. They were killed because the county CHOSE not to treat their virus. The same virus numerous other county shelters ARE treating. Canine Influenza Virus (CIV) is making its way through the states. Right here in my home, Chicago, we have been battling it for months. Dog parks, grooming facilities, and shelters have all been plagued by CIV and forced to close doors and halt business.

But the illness is a virus and with proper medication, can be cured. The dogs can go on to live happy, healthy lives. We don’t kill people just because they get strep throat.

The irony is that the vet who killed the 64 dogs, happened to report that she told the county she would medically treat the dogs. The county chose to kill them anyway. 64 dogs who would have made amazing pets. DEAD.

Thousands of people have “liked” the facebook page honoring the 64 lives. Thousands of people are angry.

For fun, I googled, “atrocities in city shelters.” Instantly, my screen was filled with horrific stories of starvation, beatings, killings that went wrong. The stories were gruesome and ugly and quite frankly, the acts that had been displayed were illegal. Yet, only a few of the city shelters appeared to change. Only a handful, changed leadership.

Just a few months ago in Chicago, an animal control officer left a dog in a van without food or water for 6 days. The case is still under investigation and the officer is still working. If a citizen had done the same thing, his dog would be taken away and he would be facing sentencing.

Why are we, as a country, allowing municipal shelters to do whatever they want? As taxpayers, we own the city shelter. The employees work for us. We have a fundamental right to demand better.

Let me switch gears to another issue that is keeping me up at night. Recently, two things happened in the last few days that have left me wondering what the hell is wrong with people. Last Wednesday a group I know who works to educate people on the truth about puppy-mills was denied entry into a parade because they were deemed controversial.

Normally, this group enters into parades to peacefully hand-out pamphlets, walk dogs looking for homes and throw candy. They are never violent. They don’t hold signs or chant obnoxiously. They walk in the parade to educate and to find homeless dogs homes. How on earth is that controversial?

Another group I know, who protests as often as they can in front of a pet store who sells puppies from puppy-mills,  is being threatened by “a few” people who feel their protests should be considered unlawful.

Unlawful to peacefully protest? It is a civil right. Freedom of speech is a fundamental belief in America. I am fairly certain it is one of THE reasons people live here. One of THE reasons people flee their own countries to migrate here.

I think why I feel so angry is that these groups are simply exposing a TRUTH. They are not lying and yet, people want them to be quiet. People are willing to shut them up at the expense of a civil liberty?

The two issues I am grappling with are practically juxtaposed. On one hand I have government brutally killing innocent animals and no one holding them accountable. On the other hand I have taxpayers willing to gag people from exposing the truth. City governments willing to fight against freedom of speech simply because they are afraid of the truth.

What is it about the truth that people don’t want to hear? I get that no one wants to see dogs dying, or suffering, but that doesn’t mean it isn’t happening.

I am so angry at the ignorance in our society. I am so tired of the apathetic approach taken by people to such horrors in city shelters. People are so desperate that they are willing to take away fundamental rights and no one, besides animal people, seem to give a shit. (The Ag Gag bills in states are really no different. People are willing to deny the truth, to remain blinded, just to save their profits.)

 I started an animal rescuer, I became an animal advocate and I feel myself ranting like an activist.

My compassion always lies with the animals. But, my fire is now fueled from the desire to protect my basic rights – especially when I speak ONLY the truth.

Why is my advocating for the truth a detriment large enough to put civil liberties in jeopardy, while the actions of the culprits, the people mass breeding dogs and selling sick puppies for thousands of dollars, are no big deal?

When did the truth become unlawful?

 

 

Tails: We have the right to “play” too.

I went and saw the premier of Dog by Dog last night in Chicago.  It was good.  Truthfully, it was my book, Bark Until Heard, in documentary form.  It spoke of the puppy-mill rescues, the legislation, the AKC, and the pet store protests.  All of the things that I talk about in my book.  However, one area that it goes into a lot of detail about, an area that I did not, was the dirty politics that prevent bills from becoming laws to protect the dogs.

Legislative bills that are introduced to protect dogs are almost always put into agriculture type committees.  The USDA is the government body responsible for the inspection of puppy-mills.  The same inspectors who grade your meat.  In theory, it makes sense that puppy-mill bills are presented in this way, however, the reality is dogs are not an agricultural by-product.  They are man’s best friend.

In the world of agriculture there are some major players: Monsanto, Tyson, Cargill and Smithfield.  These specific ones spent millions of dollars fighting the Missouri puppy-mill bill.  Literally, paying off politicians out of fear that giving dogs humane treatment would eventually lead to stricter regulations on all of their factory farms, cutting into their profits.

The monies these businesses threw at the puppy-mill bill in Missouri, the convoluted behaviors they showed and the lack of integrity they displayed by lying to the citizens of the state is grossly beyond measure.  And, saddest of all, is after their sickening behavior, the dogs in Missouri were left to continue to suffer.  The dogs were left to sit in wire cages full of feces.  The dogs were left to rot, never to see the light of day or the gentle touch of a human being.

Interestingly, a friend sent me an email early this morning about the tactics of HSUS, The Humane Society of the United States.  They wanted me to read about how HSUS is not rescuing dogs with the donations they get.  They wanted to me to see that they are a political organization.

Wayne Pacelle, President and CEO of HSUS, was in the movie a lot.  He spoke of the legislative fight and the tactics of the agri-lobbying groups.  There were two other HSUS employees in the movie who each talked about they dirty, greedy lies the agri-businesses told.  They all shared the hard, cold facts about the agri-business’ very aggressive attack against the bills which would have protected the dogs.

As someone who eats and breathes animal welfare, I guess I already knew that HSUS wasn’t really “rescuing” dogs anymore.  They have become a political lobbying group.  And, yes, sometimes they play what some might deem dirty games.  I. Don’t. Care.

Everyone envisions animal welfare as some warm and fuzzy operation.  The sad stories.  The helpless animals.  The beautiful stories of transformation.  Yeah, that stuff happens, but it is absolutely necessary to see the BIG picture.  It is important to fix the core of the problems and not just each individual broken dog.

There is a lot of bad shit is this country.  Puppy-mills are part of the bad shit.  Sure rescues can continue to take in the neglected dogs, fix them up and find them homes, but the goal is to get rid of the problem: puppy-mills.

If organizations like HSUS have to solicit money to lobby in the political arena, so be it!  If they have to go undercover to prove the hellacious conditions of a mass breeding facility, do it!  If they have to spend money to outplay the bullshit of agribusiness, I am all for it.

Why doesn’t anyone question the companies of the products they buy.  Why do consumers have to pay more for their meat, so that Tyson can spend millions to defeat a bill designed to protect man’s best friend?

Yes, HSUS is using your money to lobby, to fight the dirty tactics of agribusiness and perhaps, not to literally,  take care of Fido in a shelter.  Animal welfare needs an organization who can effectively compete in the political jungle.

Yes, we are warm and fuzzy animal welfare people.  We are compassionate beyond understanding, but we are sick and tired of the political games.  We have every right to play just as dirty and mean as they do.  We are trying to do what is right for the animals, the voiceless, gentle souls on Earth.  No matter how dirty we play, I know in my heart, our intentions are the right ones.  We aren’t doing it to get rich, we are doing it because animals shouldn’t have to  suffer in the hands of rotten people.