Now that animal abuse is being taken far more seriously than ever before; more and more jurisdictions are altering their laws to reflect this new reality. A number of United States jurisdictions have now made laws that require the names of animal abusers to be displayed in a registry that is similar to the ones that are used for sex offenders. These registries are designed with the objective of keeping people who have harmed animals in the past from ever having the chance to do so again; and they are a welcome addition to the lawmaking policies of places as disparate as New York City and Tampa. Retail outlets and shelters no longer have an excuse when it comes to providing animals to those who have a history of abuse; as they are required to have a prospective adopter read and sign an affidavit that provides assurance that they are not on the registry. If you are a regular person who is in search of a pet sitter while you are away on vacation; these registries also take on added value; allowing you to vet candidates more readily and do the proper research before potentially leaving your animals in harm’s way. The registries are not yet a requirement in all states, but they are slowly popping up throughout the country; in places like New York City (although theirs is not able to be viewed by the general public); Tennessee (whose is statewide) and Cook County, Illinois. For those who consider pets to be family members, this is welcome news. Perhaps individuals who consider hurting animals-animal abusers in the future will reconsider their actions; if they are aware of the fact that their name will end up on a list that is easily searchable. Having actual documentation to use makes life simpler for animal lovers, as well as law enforcement.
By now, you’ve likely heard about Caitlyn, the dog whose muzzle was taped so tightly that she risked losing her tongue and suffering permanent damage to her nasal passage. She’s absolutely thriving now, and her abuser was sentenced to five years in prison for what he did to her, to be served concurrently with a 15-year sentence for other crimes.The 15-month-old chocolate pit bull mix was found in June 2015 on the porch of a South Carolina resident who called 911 after seeing what horrible shape she was in. She was taken to the Charleston Animal Society, who got her immediate medical attention. The blood flow had been completely cut off from her tongue, making the situation quite delicate. When the tape was removed, Caitlyn screamed in excruciating pain.“It was 36 hours of torment,” CAS spokesman Alwin Roman told the court. Caitlyn’s former owner, William Dodson said he taped her snout shut because she wouldn’t stop barking. He was charged with felony ill treatment of an animal, and was indicted in February 2016. He will serve 5 years for what he did to Caitlyn, but it will be served concurrently with a 15-year sentence he received for a federal drug and weapon conviction.Dodson made no apologies for what he did, and Judge R. Markley Dennis Jr. told the abuser that he wished the sentence could be longer.Meanwhile, Caitlyn is doing wonderfully in her loving new home. She has fans all over the world and is an ambassador for animal welfare. To learn more about this case, please read the following posts: $1,000 Reward for Information Leading to the Arrest/Conviction of the Person(s) Responsible for Taping a Dog's Muzzle Together with Electrical Tape
An easy way to become dog fluent I'm pleased to announce a new group called iSpeakDog that focuses on the details of dog behavior, communication, and emotions. I'm also very glad that I was able to do an interview with its founder, dog trainer and journalist Tracy Krulik. Our exchange went as follows. Why did you form iSpeakDog? The tipping point for me was the day I saw a man hit his Pointer for growling in a crowded veterinary lobby. The room was packed with dogs, cats, and people, and this Pointer was stationed right next to the door and the reception desk. She became visibly more uncomfortable as each person and dog walked in, and she had no way to hide. So this Aussie walks in and sniffs her, and she growls. I’m thinking, “I can’t believe it took her THIS long to growl,” and, “Good girl! Give him a warning signal rather than biting him.” But the man hit her and apologized to the Aussie’s owner, saying that his dog can be so aggressive. I nervously (not wanting to get hit myself!) commented that she looked scared to me--pointed out the crowded room, the tucked tail, the massive eye whites showing, the shifting body weight, etc.—and explained that dogs often growl when they are scared, to ask things to back off. The man immediately softened, said that he hadn’t thought of it that way, and then gave the pooch a kiss on the head. To read more on this story, click here:iSpeakDog: A Website Devoted to Becoming Dog Literate
Global Awareness Campaign and Website Launch Week of March 27 – April 1, 2017
Washington, DC: To help improve the relationship people have with their dogs, The Academy for Dog Trainers the Humane Rescue Alliance, The Bark Magazine, and The Pet Professional Guild have teamed up to launch iSpeakDog, a global campaign and website designed to help people better understand dog body language and behavior. The Humane Rescue Alliance is proud to participate as a local partner to provide resources and share knowledge with dog guardians in the Washington, DC region.
iSpeakDog, which will launch as a weeklong campaign March 27 – April 1, 2017, comes at a time when canine behavior is being studied more than ever — revealing that people often misinterpret what their dogs are doing and saying. Sadly, millions of dogs are punished and even relinquished to shelters each year because of ‘behavior problems,’ which are often simply dogs being dogs.
“When people understand and appreciate dogs for the species that they are, that’s when the fun really starts,” says Jean Donaldson, founder of The Academy for Dog Trainers and author of Culture Clash. “Dogs chew and dig and bark and jump because these things are enjoyable to them, not because of some power struggle. With iSpeakDog, our goal is to empower people to separate out all the bad information that floods the Internet and media, and help them learn the truth about their pups so that they can respond more effectively and compassionately.”
To test if there really is a knowledge gap between what people think their dogs are doing and what is really happening, Alexandra Horowitz, renowned ethologist and bestselling author of Inside a Dog, conducted a study in 2009. She tested whether the infamous “guilty look” that many people claim to see in their dogs after they pee on the rug or tear up the couch is, in fact, a look of guilt. Her research found that it was not. Instead, the look represented dogs who were afraid of being punished.
Along those same lines, there are numerous videos online and on TV of dogs ‘being funny,’ but more often than not, the dogs in the videos are actually scared. “We are proud to partner with iSpeakDog and provide dog adopters with great tools to help them understand the body language and behavior of their canine friends,” said Alexandra Dilley, Director of Behavior and Training for HRA. “We encourage all dog guardians in our community to use these invaluable resources.”
The website, iSpeakDog.org, will help teach people how to figure out for themselves what their dogs are doing and why. The site will break down the common behaviors shown by dogs that tend to frustrate their guardians (i.e. jumping up on people, chewing shoes and pulling on leash) and explain the different emotional states that can drive such behavior (i.e. growling and snapping is often a sign that the dog is scared).
The iSpeakDog campaign will include dog behavior and body language educational opportunities across the globe — including a free webinar on “How to Speak Dog,” on Tuesday, March 28 at 6 p.m. E.T. (iSpeakDog.org) — as well as social media events including Ask the Expert on Facebook.
More about iSpeakDog Those looking to participate in the campaign on social media or to learn more should use the #iSpeakDog hashtag and follow iSpeakDog on Facebook (facebook.com/iSpeakDogWeek) and Twitter (@iSpeakDogWeek). About the Humane Rescue Alliance: The Humane Rescue Alliance (formerly the Washington Humane Society-Washington Animal Rescue League) has protected and served the animals of the community for more than 145 years and serves more than 60,000 animals annually. The broad range of programs offered include: rescue and adoption, humane law enforcement, low-cost veterinary services, animal care and control, behavior and training, spay-neuter services, humane education, and many others. The organization is dedicated to ensuring the safety and welfare of all animals, bringing people and animals together, and working with all communities to support these relationships. HRA is based in Washington, DC, the only major urban area in the country that has all of its animal protection programs and services unified in one organization, making the Humane Rescue Alliance a model for the nation.
There’s nothing funny about these images. Spring break is a time for college students to go out, get wild and indulge in a bit of alcohol-fueled hijinks. But some drunkards are spoiling the fun for everyone and harming wild animals in the process. This year, Total Frat Move, a blog about college life, launched an Instagram account dedicated solely to spring break. Buried in between photos of beer bongs, boobs and more beer are videos that show straight-up animal abuse. Take this clip titled “The shark shotgun,” which shows a guy using a beached shark to open his can of beer: To read more on this story, click here:Spring Breakers Are Abusing Sea Creatures To Get Drunk
Donations are needed to help 14-month-old, J. Micheal Tucker get a much needed service dog. Sharing from Tucker’s Aunt, Cassie: I'm writing this campaign for my nephew, who celebrated his first birthday in December of 2016! Not everyone knows this story, or its history, so allow me to backtrack so everyone understands. My sister Crystal married the love of her life, Jerrold, in September of 2002. They began planning their family, and within the first year of their marriage, Crystal found out she was expecting. They were both thrilled, and the rest of the family was as well. All of my life growing up, I've watched my older sister, babysitting or working in childrens church, or teaching at the preschool she works in and the pure passion and love she has for children is evident to all. She's wanted nothing more than to be a mother, and have a house full of kids, for as long as I've known her. Unfortunately, due to a miscarriage, she lost her first child, which was a huge blow to her and Jerrold...and the entire family. Of course God had a plan though, and in November of 2004, their family welcomed Maggie Leeann and the world was never the same! To say that Crystal and Jerrold are "good parents", is an understatment to say the least. They have raised Maggie in such a beautiful way, allowing her wonderful, loving, charming, Christian, spunky, sassy, hilarious attitude to shine in the best ways possible. They've taught her to be kind and courteous, sincere and loving, understanding and tender, and most of all have given her access to a wonderful relationship with God. From the time Maggie learned to talk, she knew how to pray. And every prayer always had one thing in common: "Please Dear God....let mommy and daddy have another baby." While some kids want all the attention and perks of being a single child, Maggie wanted nothing more than to be a big sister. She prayed fervently, and my sister went through many more miscarriages. As hard as it was to go through the pain of losing children, my brother and sister never gave up faith and continued to love Maggie with all their heart. To read more on this story, and make a donation, click here: Donations Needed to Help 14-Month-Old Tucker Get A Much Needed Service Dog Please Share!
To say that Şebnem Ilhan is a cat lover would be something of an understatement. Not only has she opened her heart to stray cats living around the neighborhood — she's opened her home as well. And she even devised an adorable way to invite them on in. Ilhan works as a dentist in the town of Tekirdag, Turkey, where winter has been particularly chilly this year. Fearing that homeless cats would suffer being stuck out in the cold, she decided to make it easy for them to find refuge through her window. But how would they make it up there? Ilhan had that part covered. "I made the ladder so the cats can come into my comfortable house," she said. Ilhan said that she was a little worried at first that her neighbors might not take kindly to the little stairway for cats leading in to her home, so she added some extra ornamentation. "I thought if I put some flower pots there, it wouldn't bother anyone," she said. But the reception has been overwhelmingly positive — especially among the countless kitties who have taken advantage of her offer of a warm place to rest. The 'cat ladder' is just one of the ways Ilhan has worked to make a difference for needy pets. She also volunteers her time to see that stray dogs and cats throughout her city are cared for as well. "I wish no animal is hungry or thirsty, just happy," she said. "This world is not just for people."
For years, Sam Wood has been a proponent of hunting and killing invasive species, such as wild hogs, that can threaten the native ecosystems. His Facebook page is filled with photos showing the 48-year-old outdoorsman taking down sparrows and starlings, pigeons and rats. But Wood’s most recent mark seems to have made him the target, feral cats. It started earlier this month, when the Wisconsin resident shared a stock photo of a cat in a trap. “Some may find this offensive but the truth is feral cats are a huge problem,” he wrote online. “I know this post will cause some backlash from the Disney educated but by putting the truth out there and not hiding we can educate some folks. “Back in the 80’s we used to get $5 for a cat hide. Buyers had pallets of cat hides. The hides were used as trim on leather gloves. Some trappers targeted cats year round which helped the environment tremendously and it also gave them gas money and they used the meat for bait. Now we have bunny huggers that want to protect cats. They refuse to educate themselves as to the true impact of what they are doing and saying.” In an interview, Wood said he sets up traps near his home in Wild Rose, a small town in central Wisconsin, to catch raccoons and other small animals to sell on the fur market. But sometimes, he said, he inadvertently catches feral cats. To read more on this story, click here:This Hunter Waged a War on Feral Cats: Now He Says He Has Become the Target of Attacks
