Lady Freethinker is opening its Urgent Need Fund for the second year in a row — an exciting grant opportunity to connect organizations helping animals with the financial support they need.
The program is open to registered nonprofits working on projects to rescue or care for animals or to raise awareness to improve the way animals are treated. This compassionate action could involve providing needed medical care, food, or housing for animals, or humane education programs.
Last year, Lady Freethinker awarded more than a cumulative $75,000 to a variety of organizations, including a safe haven for farmed animals, a therapeutic nonprofit that connected rescued animals to youth with trauma for mutual healing, and small dog and cat rescues.
This year, applicants are eligible to receive up to a maximum $10,000 to carry out their caring work.
To be eligible for the program, you must be:
Registered as a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization in the U.S. or registered as an NGO in your country;
Established for at least 2 years;
Able to provide your most current Form 990, Form 990-EZ, or other NGO reporting form (if you are outside of the United States).
In order to complete the application, you’ll also need to provide an overview of your organization and your mission, a link to your organization’s website, a description of the specific project that the award would fund, and documentation of your organization’s tax-exempt status.
Grant applications are due by Sept. 23, 2022. Awards will be decided by Nov. 23, 2022.
You can apply here. Please send any questions about the Urgent Need Fund to: grants@ladyfreethinker.org.
Two L.A. city councilmen called Friday for more resources for the city’s struggling animal shelters following a Times article about crowded kennels, shelter dogs that go for weeks without walks and staffing shortages.
“Angelenos deserve the services we pay for,” said City Councilman Marqueece Harris-Dawson, whose South L.A. district includes Chesterfield Square Animal Services Center. “We expect animals to be treated humanely and require the city to do better.”
Chesterfield Square is the most crowded of the city’s six animal shelters and houses some 300 dogs, some of whom face long confinement periods. The city relies on hundreds of unpaid volunteers to walk and exercise the dogs, but volunteers say that they can’t keep up with the influx of animals.
At the same time, staffing shortages are hurting the department. Animal Services lost more than 20% of its workforce through a program that encouraged older city employees to retire. It was launched in the first year of the pandemic in 2020 when it wasn’t clear that federal funding would be available.
Today, staff at Animal Services are frequently absent because of COVID-19-related issues, staff and volunteers told The Times.
Councilman Bob Blumenfield, who represents the west San Fernando Valley, said he was “horrified” to read about conditions at the shelters. “My heart breaks for the animals,” said Blumenfield, who said his family has both fostered and adopted shelter dogs.
Blumenfield questioned why more “red flags” weren’t raised about the shelter’s challenges.
Yet, members of the public regularly call into meetings of the Los Angeles Animal Services Commission, which is made up of Mayor Eric Garcetti’s appointees, to complain about conditions at the shelters, including the dogs’ long confinement.
And in May, an employee at the city’s San Pedro shelter emailed supervisors to alert them to overcrowding issues, including dogs that were being housed in shower stalls and in wildlife cages.
“We should be able to deal with this as a city,” Blumenfield said. “We have the resources and we have the know-how.”
He said the city shouldn’t be in a position where its dogs “are kept in shower stalls and not having walks.”
Blumenfield, who was critical at the time of the city’s retirement program because he feared a big loss in staff, also said the department needs more employees and better technology make it easier for the public to volunteer and adopt animals.
Animal Services’ interim general manager Annette Ramirez said in an interview last month that a new website will launch soon.
Harris-Dawson also said the neighborhood around the shelter “is filled with folks who love pets and are willing to give their time to turn the situation around. If Animal Services engages with the local community, they will show up.”
KTLA reported Thursday that Claudio Kusnier, a volunteer at the West Valley shelter, was suspended after he talked to the news outlet about conditions at the shelter.
Kusnier told KTLA that the shelters need to stay open past 5 p.m. so more people can volunteer. At one point — Kusnier was also interviewed after the suspension — he blamed department “mismanagement” for the loss of two key staff members who recently left. Both of those staffers are now working at other animal services agencies.
Jean Sarfaty, a former 911 city operator who volunteers at the West Valley shelter, told The Times that she was also suspended after talking to the media on Thursday. She said she was told she was suspended because she gave an interview without permission. She was wearing an Animal Services t-shirt at the time, too.
“I didn’t say anything negative,” Sarfaty said. “I said that the city employees work hard and that volunteers help to do the things that the city workers aren’t doing because they don’t have time.” The Times was not immediately able to get a comment from Animal Services about Sarfaty’s account.
Agnes Sibal, a spokesperson for Los Angeles Animal Services, said the department doesn’t comment on “staffing-related or personnel issues.”
Speaking generally about volunteer interviews, Sibal said volunteers need department approval prior to speaking to the media “when they are going to speak and represent the department [as a volunteer] to the media.”
Sibal also appeared on CBS2 this week and said that the dogs receive care, although some may not be walked for weeks.
“All the dogs in our shelters actually get daily enrichments,” Sibal told the news station. “That doesn’t necessarily mean that they get walked every day. However, they do get some form of exercise and interaction with volunteers or staff.”
Asked what exercise the dogs get every day, Sibal told The Times the animals get enrichment activities.
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“Dogs receive exercise through canine enrichment by engaging them in activities designed to stimulate their mind while also keeping them active,” Sibal said.
“Enrichment activities happen daily and vary day by day and may be outdoors via playtime in the yards or walks, or in their kennels, when they get their daily treats from staff/volunteers; receive Kong toys with treats inside; or when they enjoy frozen treats during hot weather,” Sibal said.
Other activities include blowing bubbles for dogs to pop and chase and reading to the animals, Sibal said.
She also said that city staff’s enrichment activities may not be reflected in any logs.
Former Animal Services supervisor Thomas Kalinowski, one of the staff who recently left the department, said that he personally interacted with dogs that hadn’t been out of their kennels in weeks or months.
Mike Long, communications director for SEIU 721, which represents some Animal Services workers, said Friday that “more animals will continue to suffer” if the city doesn’t act.
“We have to face facts — we need more dollars for staff and facilities because clearly, relying on the good will of volunteers and on private, one-time donations from pet-loving celebrities alone just isn’t enough,” Long said.
City Councilman Paul Koretz, who chairs a committee overseeing animal issues, has scheduled an emergency committee meeting next week to discuss conditions at the shelters.
For the first time in 25 years, we had the honor of participating in the annual #RoseParade. We hope you enjoyed our float as much as we enjoyed creating and sharing it with you. pic.twitter.com/CV7qs3MkEE
— San Diego Zoo Wildlife Alliance (@sandiegozoo) January 1, 2022
What an incredible day for @SanDiegoZoo Wildlife Alliance and conservation at the 133rd Rose Parade! Thanks to all who made today possible and creating such an incredible float to represent our work. pic.twitter.com/Z6MGFsL7Yj
It’s #SantaPawsDay – the day all our dogs get to pick their Christmas gift! Sadly, we couldn’t fit them all in, but we hope the pure joy of the ones we did makes you smile! To all our supporters and everyone who sent a gift, thank you! We hope you have a very Merry Christmas! 💛 pic.twitter.com/lFR7LNdvZG
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Rebecca Shepherd in NewsLast updated 6:53 PM, Monday July 20 2020 GMT+1 3-4 minutes
An animal rights charity has shared shocking pictures of caged puppies in Korea as they urge people not take part in the tradition of eating the dog soup to cool them down during the hottest days of summer.
The charity, NoToDogMeat, says that some Koreans still maintain their tradition of eating boshintang, a Korean soup that includes dog meat as its primary ingredient.
Credit: Jam Press
The dogs used in the soup are typically found from dog farms, stray dogs or are people’s own pets that end up being brutally tortured.
NoToDogMeat is calling on all Koreans to boycott this practice and urge anyone taking part to think again.
Days of Bok (伏)/ Boknals, which mark the beginning, peak and the end of the dog-eating season according to the Chinese calendar, are traditionally in the summer when temperatures are at their hottest. This year the Boknals began on Sunday (19 July) and will end on 8 August.
Credit: Jam Press
NoToDogMeat CEO Julia de Cadenet said: “In previous years, our activists witnessed the horrors of Koreans feasting on dogs at the notorious Moran market.
“Dogs often with collars on staring out with pleading eyes and revellers selected them for slaughter. In 2012 we launched a UK Government petition to close this vile market, and in 2017 the mayor of Seoul ordered the dismantling of cages in this market and several others followed suit.
“For us, it signalled a true beginning of change as soon other markets started to close. Of course, dogs are still sold, and gruesome farms and abuse continue, but we saw progress.”
Credit: Jam Press
Protests containing their distinctive NoToDogMeat banners were also featured in Australian filmmakers movie The Dog Meat Professionals: South Korea.
In the film we see rows of dogs in cages at a dog farm. An interviewer asks an employee if the dogs are being kept for pets. He replies: “All these dogs are for dog meat soup. They are all raised to be eaten.”
Julia added: “Although Korea has not followed China’s recent move to tentatively declare dogs and cats as companion animals (so no longer livestock), there are many bye-laws in place that activists on the ground and internationally push to be enforced.
“So why aren’t these laws enforced? This is a question activists continue to raise to embassies and government officials, and right now in South Korea, there is a mass e-petition campaign.”
NoToDogMeat are currently supporting, among others, Korean Charity Kara, which organised a drive through protest four days ago with an overwhelmingly positive response.
Julia said her charity will be showing their support by taking to the streets on 23 July (Thursday) at 2-5pm at the South Korean Embassy in London followed by a walk to House of Parliament before they break for summer recess.
thediabetessite.greatergood.com
Insurance Should Cover Diabetic Alert Dogs | Take Action @ The Diabetes Site
Sponsor: The Diabetes Site
These dogs can save lives, but prohibitive costs keep many from acquiring them. Insurance companies should cover them!
These dogs can save lives, but prohibitive costs keep many from acquiring them. Insurance companies should cover them!
Service dogs transform the lives of their charges. From assisting the blind and deaf to helping returning veterans cope with PTSD, the positive impact of their help upon their owners cannot be denied.
People with diabetes can also benefit from being paired with a service dog. With the proper training, dogs can use their superior sense of smell to alert their owners to fluctuating blood sugar. This is especially important among Type 1 diabetics who suffer from a condition known as Hypoglycemic Unawareness. This condition prevents a person from feeling when his or her blood sugar is rapidly falling or is dangerously low. Other symptoms, such as stomach cramps, nausea, dizziness, or even seizures, are the only hints sufferers receive without testing their blood sugar. If left untreated, hypoglycemia can even result in unconsciousness, coma, or death in as few as twenty minutes.
For those with Hypoglycemic Unawareness, an alert dog might mean the difference between life and death.
Diabetic alert dogs are trained to recognize symptoms of fluctuating blood sugar, sometimes both highs and lows, and alert their charge to their condition, even waking a sleeping person should the need arise.
There’s no denying a diabetic alert dog could save countless lives and improve the quality of life for their owners. So why don’t more people have them?
Their cost.
According to Dogs4Diabetics, a diabetes alert dog typically costs around $20,000, but other sources cite the price tag as high as $50,000. For the average person, this enormous price tag can prevent people with diabetes from acquiring the service dog assistance they require.
People with diabetes shouldn’t be asked to shoulder this financial burden on their own when they pay insurance premiums! Tell the U.S.’s top five Insurance providers and Obamacare to cover the costs of these dogs for any diabetic whose doctors’ recommend them.
The Petition:
To U.S. Department of Health & Human Services, and the CEOs of WellPoint Insurance, CIGNA Health Insurance Company, Aetna, Humana, and United Healthcare
I am writing to urge you to add diabetic alert dogs to your insurance policies. I am dismayed that these effective assistants to managing and maintaining awareness of blood glucose levels are effectively uncovered by the insurance industry.
These alert dogs provide life-saving care to people with diabetes, especially those who suffer from Hypoglycemic Unawareness. This condition prevents diabetics from feeling when his or her blood sugar is rapidly falling or is dangerously low. Other symptoms, such as stomach cramps, nausea, dizziness, or even seizures, are the only hints sufferers receive without testing their blood sugar. If left untreated, hypoglycemia can even result in unconsciousness, coma, or death in as few as twenty minutes.
Diabetic alert dogs are trained to recognize symptoms of fluctuating blood sugar, sometimes both highs and lows, and alert their charge to their condition, even waking a sleeping person should the need arise.
But, as you are no doubt aware, the cost of training a diabetic alert dog can be massive. According to Dogs4Diabetics, a diabetes alert dog typically costs around $20,000, but other sources cite the price tag as high as $50,000. For the average diabetic, this enormous price tag can prevent them from acquiring the service dog assistance they require.
As the nation’s most prominent health insurance providers, I’m asking you to lead the charge on making diabetic alert dogs more accessible to your clients. Lives are on the line. And an alert dog could make lived with diabetes easier for so many.
Please, help defray the costs of acquiring a diabetic alert dog. Add these life-saving companions to your policies.
Thanks to those that reported the hacker it seems our Facebook page is safe. The little turd did a number on my personal profile, but I can always create a new one. Thanks again. We continue the fight. 😊 pic.twitter.com/azmxSuBm4z
thedodo.com
Meet Narwhal: The ‘Unicorn’ Puppy With A Tail On His Face
To help other special needs dogs like Narwhal, you can make a donation to Mac’s Mission.
5-6 minutes
All dogs are perfect — but a 10-week-old golden retriever named Narwhal is extra special.
The puppy has an adorable “unicorn” tail growing out of his forehead.
Narwhal the magical unicorn puppy with an extra tail
Mac’s Mission
Last week, Narwhal was found outside in the freezing cold along with another dog. Narwhal’s foster mom, Rochelle Steffen, founder of Mac’s Mission in Cape Girardeau, Missouri, stepped up to help the “different” puppy as soon as she heard about him.
“We were tagged in a social media request for help because he was special and had been dumped,” Steffen told The Dodo. “All my friends and fellow rescuers know I love the hard cases.”
Mac’s Mission
The moment Steffen met Narwhal, it was love at first sight: “I melted,” Steffen said. “I literally smiled so big because he lights up the entire room with how happy he is. His butt tail never stops wagging — too bad his face tail doesn’t wag!”
Narwhal’s extra tail is a rare birth defect, a third of the size of his regular tail. X-rays show the tail to be made of skin and fur, and otherwise not connected to anything. “It just kind of hangs down like a lock of hair like Superman,” Steffen said.
Besides a case of worms that can be treated with medication, Narwhal is completely healthy. And his special tail is staying — for the time being. “At this point, there is no medical reason to remove it and it does not bother him,” Steffen said. “He has no idea he’s different.”
The carefree pup is currently living it up at Steffen’s house and loves to be held and give kisses.
“He loves humans and he loves to romp around with the other dogs,” Steffen said. “He is very partial to the adult dog that we rescued him with and another Chihuahua mix dog named Ash. They play in a big giant pile!”
In a few months, Narwhal will start his search for a forever home. But for now, Steffen is watching him grow and making sure his extra tail does not get in the way of him living life to the fullest.
And the magical unicorn puppy couldn’t be happier.
Animal Webaction launched a campaign to collect food for the in Prnjavor. There are over 700 dogs in this shelter and food and medical care are only provided by outside donors, even though this is a ‘public shelter’. The Government only covers a one-time fee that barely covers vaccinations. They have an amazing advocate, Bojan Veselica, and he along with supporters have managed to do a lot for the dogs and to try to make the shelter safe, but without food, the situation is impossible. The dogs come from a hard life as strays on the streets of Prnjavor, Samac, Celinac, Modrica and other cities in Northern Bosnia. Others are surrendered by their heartless owners after a life on a chain because they are too old or got sick. All of them have one thing in common: they need to eat to survive.
A dog named Luna overheated and died after daycare workers reportedly confined her in a tiny crate in scorching hot temperatures. The dog reportedly could not stand up, straighten her legs, or properly pant in the restrictive cage. Demand justice for Luna.
MOMO DIES SATURDAY BECAUSE HIS ‘HUMAN’ GAVE HIM A REP HE MAY NOT HAVE EARNED. “Aggressive and bites” they said. But in the pound Momo #70412 is sweet, gentle, licks staffers’ hands. Slanderer, he needs pledges via @chortletown for a Rescue/F/A. PLEASE RT! https://t.co/y507jWQg8Tpic.twitter.com/eccwEj0QCb
ladyfreethinker.org
Image Credit: Flickr – Sam Craig
PETITION TARGET: DuPage State’s Attorney Robert Berlin
Crammed into tiny, filthy cages stacked atop one another, 29 dogs burned to death in a kennel fire in Carol Stream, Illinois. With nobody there to watch the dogs and zero fire safety measures in place, the dogs had no hope of escape as the building quickly became engulfed in flames.
A six-month investigation by local authorities revealed abhorrent practices at the kennel long before the fire. Officials discovered dogs with puncture wounds, lacerations, abrasions, weight loss, and dehydration.
Investigators say the house reeked and water bowls lay empty. One of the dogs that perished in the fire was tied to a bathtub so tightly that the canine wouldn’t have even been able to lie down to rest.
While firefighters and police managed to rescue 22 of the 58 dogs housed on the property, they were unable to reach those trapped on the second floor of the building.
Police have charged owner Garrett Mercado with 14 counts of animal cruelty and 14 counts of violating his duties as an animal owner. Now, we must urge prosecutors to treat this case with the severity it deserves, and call for a lifelong ban on the defendant from ever having another animal in his care.
Sign this petition urging DuPage State’s Attorney Robert Berlin to ensure that justice is served in this tragic case, and protect future animals from neglect.
Doris Day, who died at age 97 on May 13, may be remembered for her famous song, “Que Será, Será (Whatever Will Be, Will Be).” But as one of the first celebrities to advocate for animals, we should also remember her for making sure that—as far as dogs and cats are concerned—whatever will be, will be a whole lot better.
Day “didn’t just love animals—she was one of the first celebrities to recognize that star power could be used to advocate for change,” noted the Humane Society of the United States (HSUS) in a tribute to the legendary actress.
From creating what we now call World Spay Day to co-owning the first pet-friendly hotel, here are some of the ways Day helped make the world a better place for animals.
1. Created World Spay Day
In an effort to reduce pet overpopulation, in 1987 Day founded the Doris Day Animal League (DDAL), a nonprofit lobbying organization. In 1995, the DDAL launched Spay Day USA, now known as World Spay Day. Held on the last Tuesday of February every year, this day is an opportunity for shelters and rescue organizations to raise awareness of and support for their spay/neuter programs.
During its first 15 years, the DDAL provided the funding to spay or neuter over 15 million dogs and cats. In 2006, it joined the HSUS. It now operates as a political affiliate of that organization but remains a separate legal entity.
2. Founded Two Other Animal Welfare Charities
Prior to starting the DDAL, Day became a founding member of Actors and Others for Animals in 1971. This nonprofit also helps address the pet overpopulation problem by subsidizing spay and neuter surgeries in Southern California.
Seven years later, the actress launched the Doris Day Pet Foundation (now called the Doris Day Animal Foundation), whose mission has always been to “help animals and the people who love them.” The DDAF provides grants to nonprofits across the country that care for and protect animals. Last year, it donated $1.5 million to support the amendment that banned greyhound racing in Florida.
3. Advocated for Adopting Shelter Pets
In a public service announcement filmed nearly 50 years ago, Day encouraged viewers to visit their local shelters and adopt homeless pets, like the two of hers sitting in her lap.
“Shelters are unbelievably overcrowded,” she says, “and we can and must do something about it.”
4. Shared Photos of Homeless Dogs and Cats
Decades before there was an internet, social media or websites like Petfinder, Day was known as “the dogcatcher of Beverly Hills,” according to the DDAF website.
She always carried photos with her of dogs and cats needing forever homes and shared them with friends and colleagues. If someone expressed interest in adopting one of the pets, Day would personally inspect their home to make sure the pet would be happy there.
5. Opened the First Pet-Friendly Hotel
A visionary when it came to pet-friendly travel, around 1990 Day became co-owner of the historic Cypress Inn in Carmel-by-the-Sea, Calif. This boutique hotel became the first to welcome four-legged as well as two-legged guests.
Day didn’t just make the world a better place for pets—she also helped make it better for the people who love them.
Staff from the animal rescue site have shared photos of one shelter dog who developed a strange habit of carrying his food bowl around everywhere he went, and the pictures will surely capture your heart!
A dog named Oliver was found as a stray in Memphis, Tennessee after he refused to leave a family’s backyard. Desperate for help, they contacted the nearest animal control office to ask for assistance in handling the elusive dog.
The pup’s playful personality immediately showed when the officers arrived to collect him. Whenever one of them would get close, he would jump over the fence and run out of the yard, treating the whole situation as a game. Oliver was relentless, so the team decided to set up a humane trap to capture him. Finally, after the long chase, the dog was caught and brought to Memphis Animal Services.
From the moment he arrived at the shelter, the staff instantly knew that Oliver once belonged to a home. He was extremely smart, and he was a big lover of food and treats! He knew that if he behaved well and listened, he would be showered with lots of them.
Katie Pemberton, a community engagement specialist at Memphis Animal Services, told The Dodo:
“I met him the first day he came in, and he sat for me immediately before I even showed him I had treats. Then, of course, as soon as the treats came out, he was even more eager to sit. The more he got to know me, the more he would press himself up against the bars of his kennels to let me pet him.”
Apparently, Oliver loved food so much, that he quickly developed an attachment for the thing that held it – his food bowl! Wherever he went, the shelter staff would see him carrying around the container with his mouth.
“The very first night he got here, our field supervisor passed by his kennel in our ACO intake room and noticed him with his bowl in his mouth,” Katie said. “His cute trick was very effective because she gave him more food! Then when he moved to his permanent kennel, he kept doing it. He had his bowl in his mouth most of the time.”
The staff from the animal rescue site surmised that the act might have been taught to him as a cute trick by his former owner. Another possibility was that he lacked food at one point in his life, and he was afraid of losing sight of his food bowl because he might not be fed again.
Throughout his days as a shelter dog, Oliver continued to carry his food bowl around with him everywhere he went, and the staff thought that it was extremely adorable! They started taking pictures of him whenever he did it, and they posted the snapshots on their social media for everyone to enjoy.
Unsurprisingly, Oliver captured lots of hearts across the country with his food bowl carrying trick!
“We received a very unusual amount of inquiries about Oliver after his photos went viral — I wish every dog had that many people interested in adopting them,” Katie shared.
Because of the photos posted by the animal rescue site, the huge amount of online attention that Oliver got led to his eventual adoption. On April 16, his new family arrived at the shelter to take him home, and of course, he’s not going without his food bowl!
Now, Oliver wouldn’t need to worry about going hungry again, for his food bowl – and his heart – will always be full.
thepetitionsite.com
by: Care2 Team
recipient: State Governments of the United States of America
14,094 SUPPORTERS – 15,000 GOAL
Most of us remember the film “Rudy” which tells the story of Daniel “Rudy” Ruettiger who, against all odds, went from being a groundskeeper’s assistant to miraculously playing in one of Notre Dame’s biggest football games of the season. “Rudy” taught us the power of hope and perseverance and touched all of our heartstrings.
Recently, another Rudy made headlines, but this time the miracle didn’t happen on the field, rather in the veterinarian’s office instead. Rudolph, a 7 to 8-month-old pup survived the impossible. The young pooch was being kept at a crowded overflow shelter in Oklahoma. The shelter, unfortunately, didn’t have a “no-kill” policy, and because the shelter was too crowded, employees decided Rudolph’s time was up and they put him down.
Or at least they thought they did.
The vet had injected Rudolph with a dose of anesthetic strong enough to kill him. But when they returned to make sure he had been successfully euthanized they found a fully awake puppy!
Luckily, the vet didn’t attempt to kill Rudy again. And when news got around that there was a “miracle puppy” in an Oklahoma shelter, the people of King’s Harvest Pet Rescue in Davenport, Iowa, decided to step in and save him.
Rudy was taken to Iowa and has already been adopted out. Now he can bring joy to a new family for years to come, and they can’t wait to give him all the love he almost lost out on when he was nearly put to death.
Unfortunately, Rudy’s story is so remarkable because most of the times dogs are killed successfully. In the United States alone around 2.7 million animals are euthanized each year. That’s almost 7,500 dogs and cats killed every day!
This isn’t the way it should be. Animals deserve the to have a long, healthy and loved life, and if kill shelters are allowed to euthanize their rescues whenever convenient, that can’t happen.
Care2 wants to challenge the state of Oklahoma and the rest of the state governments to put an end to kill shelters and make every shelter a no-kill shelter. There are better, more humane ways to handle pet overpopulation. It’s time the states did something to make them happen.
Sign the petition and tell your state you are against kill shelters. Then write your state government and tell them to take action.more
change.org
Petition · American Belgian Malinois Rescue: BRING K9 ENDY HOME · Change.org
Frank Rpk9f started this petition to American Belgian Malinois Rescue and 3 others
Earlier this month K9 Endy, a Retired U.S Customs and Border Patrol K9, escaped from his handler’s yard due to fireworks. Endy was found wondering the streets nearby and was given to Kingsville Animal Advocates who turned Endy over to the American Belgian Malinois Rescue.
K9 Endy is microchipped, which comes back to the US Border Patrol but American Belgian Malinois Rescue failed to make the right calls and is now refusing to give the K9 Endy back to his handler, Brian Buchanan, who has proof of ownership, vet records, dental records, pictures and videos of Endy at home with his family.
After many failed attempts to get Endy home, Brian Buchanan contacted us to see if we could help. Retired Police K9 Foundation has made a commitment to get Endy back home. Please contact the rescue and ask them to release K9 Endy back to his family! Retired Police K9 Foundation will make sure Endy has proper vet care needed now and for the rest of his life!
Please contact Marcia Tokson, National chairperson, and ask her to give K9 Endy back!
A mother pit bull was reportedly euthanized by an animal shelter while she was in labor, with her puppies being put down just moments later. This is seemingly another act of hateful cruelty against pit bulls, who are constantly mischaracterized as dangerous aggressors when nothing could be further from the truth. Sign this petition to hold the shelter responsible for their alleged actions.
The Animal Legal Defense Fund has filed a lawsuit against The Farmers Inn, a roadside zoo in Sigel, Pennsylvania, for maintaining animals in squalid conditions in violation of the Endangered Species Act (ESA) and state animal cruelty laws.Many endangered species, along with other animals, are held in grossly deficient conditions at Farmers Inn. These include Queen Louise, a ring-tailed lemur, who despite belonging to a highly social species, is kept alone in a small, filthy cage. Other ESA-protected animals were also found to be confined in cramped cages. These include Russell, a black leopard; Jack and Jill, two black bears; a gray wolf and a hyacinth macaw.
“These animals, including endangered species, are being held in conditions that are not just abhorrent but illegal,” Animal Legal Defense Fund Executive Director Stephen Wells said in a statement. “State and federal animal protection laws exist so that animals won’t be forced to live in these conditions. The animals held at Farmers Inn deserve to be in naturalistic sanctuary environments that allow them to engage in activities natural to their species and necessary for their health.”
Visitors have reported seeing animals at Farmers Inn who are sick and injured. For example, the bears, Jack and Jill, were seen in what appeared to be heat distress on a day where the temperature exceeded 90 degrees. A kinkajou, a small rainforest mammal, was noticed with an injured eye. An emaciated goat, significantly stressed guinea pigs, and foxes suffering from apparently untreated mange were also observed.
The Animal Legal Defense Fund previously sent a 60-day notice of intent to sue, a requirement under the ESA. The organization has also offered assistance in transferring the animals held at Farmers Inn to reputable sanctuaries where their unique needs can be met, and they can thrive. Farmers Inn has thus far not responded to the offer.
As previously reported by WAN, sadly, the problems at Farmers Inn are not unique. Roadside zoos such as Farmers Inn continue to be able to operate due to lack of enforcement of state and federal animal protection laws.
Photos from Idaho Black Bear Rehab (IBBR), Facebook
It is with heavy hearts that WAN shares the sad news that Cinder, the inspiring bear who was brought to recover in Idaho after her paws were tragically burned in a wildfire four years ago, was shot dead a little more than one year ago, by a heartless hunter.
According to Idaho Black Bear Rehab (IBBR), which cared for Cinder before her release into the wild, the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife (WDFW) shared the devastating update with the nonprofit organization yesterday.
As noted in one of numerous posts on the IBBR’s Facebook page, WDFW explained that the department had recollared Cinder in her den two years after her initial release. When Cinder’s collar stopped transmitting in October 2017, the department believed she was still hibernating in her den.
Due to heavy snow in the spring, and the cougar creek fire in the summer, the department was not able to go back and retrieve their cameras until September 2018.
“Unfortunately, instead of finding a den,” noted the explanation on Facebook, “we found Cinder’s skeletal remains. It appears that she was killed by a hunter in October 2017.”
Sally Maugan of IBBR shared memories of Cinder, as well as insight into the countless animal rescuers who worked so hard to save her life.
“Not many of us can know the pain and suffering that accompanies burns of that magnitude, the pain of recovery, bandage changes, and all that goes along with it. Yet Cinder was a definite inspiration to humans who also knew that pain and suffering, and to the many supporters around the world who followed her story,” Maugan shared in an emotional post. “I think most of us felt if she could do it, if she could fight to recover, if she could regain her freedom, then we humans could also face our own traumas and survive to live again.”
“As wildlife rehabilitators, we all face the goal of recovery and release,” continued Maugan. “However, we also face the inevitable knowledge that once released, the animals are in charge of their own lives and there is little we can do to impact that.”
IBBR has helped save more that 200 bears over the past 29 years.
“I never met a bear who would consider living in captivity as really living,” said Maugan. “Our tribute to Cinder is to never forget her, to thank her for showing us how to heal in the worst of times, and for her courage and fight to survive to live free again.”
Maugan also made a point to appreciate the WDFW, Pilots N Paws, Lake Tahoe Wildlife Care, Inc., and everyone involved for all of their “care and kindness in giving Cinder a second chance.”
WAN echoes their appreciation! R.I.P. sweet angel Cinder!
One Of The World’s Most Critically Endangered Species, A Snow Leopard, Was Killed After Escaping His Enclosure At The Dudley Zoo In The UK
By Lauren Lewis –
December 3, 2018
It is beyond comprehension that one of the last remaining critically endangered species, a snow leopard, was shot dead last week at The Dudley Zoo in West Midlands, UK.
Was there a dangerous escape by the snow leopard? Was the zoo open? Were members of the public on the premises? The answer to the above is an resounding, No!
The fact is that the eight-year-old snow leopard, named Margaash, simply wandered out of his enclosure where he resided after a zookeeper left the door open. It wasn’t the snow leopards fault.
Despite the snow leopard remaining on the premises which was closed at the time and void of visitors, it was somehow decided by zoo staff to kill the animal because, as the zoo claims, “public safety is of uppermost importance.” What about the protection of the animal forced to live in captivity?
Why would the zoo choose to euthanize a critically endangered species instead of tranquilizing it?
Outraged animal advocates are now demanding a thorough investigation of the tragic event that sadly occurred on October 23rd but was not announced by the zoo until November 30th.
“While this is a sad incident that is undoubtedly very distressing to those who cared for Margaash, it brings into sharp focus, once again, that zoos simply cannot guarantee the safety of people and their animals,” Dr. Chris Draper, Born Free’s Head of Animal Welfare & Captivity, said in a statement. “It is perhaps all the more tragic when you consider that Margaash was destined to live and die in captivity, far removed from his natural range and habitat.”
The nonprofit organization addressed that “there will be those who claim that zoos contribute to conservation,” which may, or most-likely may not, be accurate.
Wild Animals Do Not Belong In Confinement Nor Should They Ever Be Used For Profit To Satisfy Human Greed!
Regardless, continued Dr. Draper, “The life and death of a snow leopard at Dudley Zoo should serve to remind us just how we are failing wild animals, both in captivity and in nature.”
In the wild, snow leopards are generally solitary and secretive cats inhabiting mountainous areas of Central Asia, where males have an average home range of 77 square miles: completely incompatible with life in captivity.
According to Defenders of Wildlife, only an estimated 3,500 to 7,000 snow leopards are remaining in the wild, with 600 to 700 held captive at zoos around the world.
Born Free is not only calling for an urgent investigation into this incident, it is advocating for the system of licensing and inspection of zoos to be reviewed and overhauled to prevent a similar tragedy in the future.
This campaign is trending!
$12,716 of $30,000 goal Raised by 195 people in 9 days
Created November 11, 2018
Friends and supporters , once again I’ll be entering the burn zone to effect fire cat rescues. I spent well over 800 hours rescuing fire cats in the Tubbs Fire of Sonoma County and the Carr Fire of Shasta County.
This time I’ll be self deploying to the Camp Fire in Butte County. There are thousands of missing, displaced and burned animals(most of them cats). I am requesting some help to purchase equipment(trail cams, batteries ), food for my bait stations, veterinary donations, supplies and fuel for the trips back and forth. Anything helps. This is a long haul effort and I’ll be traveling to Butte County as often as twice a week(about 400 miles round trip)to rescue fire cats and to train volunteers and families on how to find their missing fire pets.
This is about the animals and their families. Bringing a lost pet back to these folks who’ve lost everything brings them back from the darkness and gives them hope. I witnessed this over and again when I reunited many fire cats with their families. I do not do this for a living bit out of love and compassion. Please check my fb page for regular reports and updates..
Click here to support Butte County fire cat rescue organization by Shannon Jay
Photo credit: Katie Cleary
Updated Information – Thousands of firefighters continue to battle the Woolsey Fire, which grew in size overnight Sunday. The fire has burned more than 91,500 acres, destroyed an estimated 370 structures, and is now 20% contained, according to a Monday morning update from Cal Fire.
Fire crews in Ventura and Los Angeles counties are trying to contain two new fires that broke out Monday morning, one in Thousand Oaks and the other east of Simi Valley near the 118 Freeway.
Santa Ana winds returned Sunday and are expected to last until 8 a.m. on Tuesday.
Below you will find emergency evacuation information for The Woolsey & Hill Fire that is affecting Ventura and Los Angeles counties.
Here is a list of evacuation centers for animals large and small:
Ventura County Fair Grounds – 10 W. Harbor Blvd., Ventura, CA 93001 (at capacity) Ventura County Animal Services (805) 388-4258
Ventura County Animal Shelter – 600 Aviation Dr, Camarillo, CA 93010 / Ventura County Animal Services (805) 388-4258 (Accepting small animals)
Humane Society of Ventura County – 402 Bryant St, Ojai, CA 93023 / (805) 646-6505 (Accepting small & large animals)
Earl Warren Showgrounds – 3400 Calle Real, Santa Barbara, CA 93105 / (805) 687-0766 (Accepting large animals)
Simi Valley Animal Shelter – 670 W Los Angeles Ave, Simi Valley (805) 388-4341 (Accepting small animals)
Pierce College – 7100 El Rancho Drive Woodland Hills, CA 91371 (Entrance off Desoto Ave.) (at capacity)
Hansen Dam Equestrian Center – 11127 Orcas Avenue, Lake View Terrace, CA 91342 (Few spaces available for large animals)
Earl Warren Show Grounds – 3400 Calle Real, Santa Barbara, CA 93105 Check-in at Gate C off of Calle Real (Accepting large animals)
If you need large animal assistance, please call (805) 388-4258
For Fire Information, CALL (805) 465-6650
WAN will continue to update you as information is available.
National animal law organization Animal Justice is applauding the Senate for passing Bill S-203, the Ending the Captivity of Whales and Dolphins Act in Canada. If passed, Bill S-203 would outlaw keeping whales and dolphins in tiny concrete tanks for display.
After years of delay and obstruction, the legislation passed late on Tuesday evening in a surprise vote, and will now move to the House of Commons where it will be sponsored by Green leader Elizabeth May. Bill S-203 was originally introduced by Senator Wilfred Moore in December 2015, then sponsored by Senator Murray Sinclair after Senator Moore retired.
Conservative Senate Whip Don Plett repeatedly used procedural delay tactics to slow down the legislation. Fed up with his efforts to block Bill S-203 from reaching a final vote, MPs from all parties joined Animal Justice and Humane Society International at a press conference in June to call for an end to the stalling tactics.
“Canadians understand that whales and dolphins are complex, intelligent beings who deserve far more than a life of boredom and misery in captivity,” said lawyer Camille Labchuk, executive director of Animal Justice in a statement. “That’s why Bill S-203 has attracted such tremendous support from the public as well as politicians from all parties. Animal Justice is calling on the House of Commons to swiftly pass this groundbreaking measure to protect whales and dolphins. Canada has some of the worst animal protection laws in the western world, but banning whale and dolphin captivity would demonstrate international leadership on animals.”
After passing Bill S-203, the Senate also voted in favor of Bill S-238, the Ban on Shark Fin Importation Act, sponsored by Conservative Senator Michael MacDonald. Bill S-238 also has strong support across party lines.
Fast facts about Bill S-203:
Bill S-203 would make it an offence to keep captive, breed, import, or export a whale, dolphin or porpoise. There are exemptions for cetaceans currently in captivity, as well as for rescue and rehabilitation efforts.
Bill S-203 was studied for nearly a year by the Fisheries Committee, which heard evidence from countless experts over 17 committee meetings.
Only two Canadian facilities still keep whales and dolphins in captivity—Marineland and the Vancouver Aquarium. There is only one surviving dolphin at the Vancouver Aquarium after a spate of deaths, and the facility has publicly committed not to acquire any further cetaceans.
Over a dozen other jurisdictions around the world have already banned keeping some or all cetaceans in tanks, including Mexico, France, South Carolina, and California. Ontario banned keeping orca whales in 2015, and the Vancouver Park Board voted to ban cetacean display and captivity at the Vancouver Aquarium in 2017. (The ban is being challenged in court.)
The Whale Sanctuary Project plans to build a seaside sanctuary for retired whales and dolphins in Nova Scotia, British Columbia, or Washington.
WAN’s Most Wanted: Urgent Help Needed To Identify Sub-Human Who Left A Severely Emaciated Pit Bull To Die; $3,000 Reward
By Lauren Lewis –
October 16, 2018
Another heartbreaking case of animal cruelty has resulted in the death of an innocent pit bull in Syracuse, New York.
The painfully emaciated dog, named Mavis, may tragically be gone but the sub-human that abhorrently abused her remains at large; and now, there is a $3,000 reward for information that results in the perpetrator’s arrest and conviction.
“It is with immense heartbreak and sadness that we let you all know Mavis passed away this morning,” Fetch A Friend Rescue, which was caring for the dog who was at an animal hospital, posted on its Facebook page yesterday. “Her extremely frail state could not handle all that occurred within the last week. She put up a good fight and is now free from her pain.”
On October 12th, Mavis had exploratory surgery after a foreign body was discovered in an ultrasound.
Cuse Pit Crew, which originally rescued Mavis and is offering the reward, also handed out flyers Sunday around Rider Avenue in Syracuse, near where the suffering pit bull was found by a Good Samaritan.
Yesterday, in an updated post on its Facebook page, Cuse Pit Crew updated Mavis’ status sharing that “Sweet Mavis passed away this morning, but we’ll continue to advocate for her. Please share.”
This sad case should also create more awareness about the tragic consequences of abuse and neglect of animals.
“So, if you see something, say something,” said Stephanie Heath, Cuse Pit Crew founder.
Anyone with information about Mavis and her former abuser, or any other tips of suspected animal abuse, should contact the Cuse Pit Crew at (315) 442-5336 or email cusepitcrew@gmail.com.
Following in the spirit of Britain's Queen Boudica, Queen of the Iceni. A boudica.us site. I am an opinionator, do your own research, verification. Reposts, reblogs do not neccessarily reflect our views.
Mac’s Mission
Visitors have reported seeing animals at Farmers Inn who are sick and injured. For example, the bears, Jack and Jill, were seen in what appeared to be heat distress on a day where the temperature exceeded 90 degrees. A kinkajou, a small rainforest mammal, was noticed with an injured eye. An emaciated goat, significantly stressed guinea pigs, and foxes suffering from apparently untreated mange were also observed.
Sally Maugan of IBBR shared memories of Cinder, as well as insight into the countless animal rescuers who worked so hard to save her life.
“So, if you see something, say something,” said Stephanie Heath, Cuse Pit Crew founder.
"OUR WORLD" 