The country’s legislature passed a legal amendment to the Animal Protection Act state that offenders could be punished with a monetary fine of NTD 50,000 to $2 million (A$2178 to $87080). The amendment's sponsor, Kuomintang Legislator Wang Yu-min, said that while some localities already had measures banning dog and cat meat consumption, national legislation was needed. Several other amendments were also passed, in a step towards making the country more animal friendly. Stiffer punishments will be enforced for those who intentionally harm animals which include a maximum of two years’ imprisonment and fines of between NT$200,000 and NT$2 million. Pet owners will now be penalized if they are seen with their leashed dogs running alongside their scooters. It is now illegal to ‘walk’ animals via motor vehicles with offenders facing possible fines up to NT$15,000. Before taking effect, the amendments still need to be signed into law by the Cabinet and Presidential Office, which could take place before the end of the month. The amendments come in response to several high-profile incidents of animal cruelty. Just last year, a video went viral of a group of Taiwanese marines viciously beating a dog before hanging it and throwing its lifeless body into the ocean, triggering an investigation and sparking public protests. Last October, Chan Ho-yeung – a student from Macau studying in Taiwan – was sentenced to 10 months in prison after being convicted of killing two stray cats.
Taiwanese photographer Tou Chih-kang and his assistant steady a scared dog for a portrait in a makeshift studio during the final moments of its life before being put down by lethal injection at a shelter in Taoyuan.
A dog stands on a scooter with his owners as they wait at an intersection in Taipei, Taiwan.
Tourists stop to view one of the hundred or so resident cats resting on a wall in the small town of Houtong, Taiwan.
Senior dogs often get overlooked in shelters and rescues, and so a bunch of people in Florida got together to hold a special event to help them find forever homes — a "senior prom." The prom was held at The Dog House of Safety Harbor, a pet supply store that donates a portion of all its proceeds to animal rescues. Dozens of rescue organizations were invited to bring along their senior dogs, ages 5 to 15, for a night of dress-up and dancing. "Thousands of dogs need to be adopted in the Tampa Bay area," Terry Meeks, one of the founders of the event, said in a press release. "All too often, our senior canines are passed by when people look to adopt. These dogs have the richest history and the greatest temperaments. They need to be able to live out the rest of their lives in a stable, loving home. The prom will help these senior canines get the recognition they deserve and find their 'furever' homes." The event featured a red carpet that the dogs could walk down when they first arrived, to strut their stuff and show off whatever it was they were wearing, from gorgeous gowns…
... to tasteful suits ...
... to everything in between.
The dogs got to meet potential adopters at the event, and between their adorable outfits and beautiful smiles, they were all definitely at their most charming that night. The prom had a full roster of activities planned, including entertainment by an MC and her doggie sidekick, a raffle, a kissing booth and of course lots of dancing. Every senior dog who attended the event was eligible to win the title of prom king or queen, and a panel of distinguished judges watched each dog strut around in their fancy outfits and judged them on criteria such as stage presence, attitude and working the crowd. A dog named Tye was crowned prom king. He's an 8-year-old Chihuahua mix rescued by Canine Estates. "He was rescued from someone who became ill and could no longer take care of him," Karen Altieri, a volunteer with the event, told The Dodo. "He's been at Canine Estates for nine months."
The dog crowned prom queen, Tye's partner in crime, was 10-year-old Nina, a pit bull mix rescued by Ruff Beginnings. "She was a stray wandering the streets of Tampa when Hillsborough Animal Services picked her up," Altieri said. "She wasn't given much of a chance to be adopted out. Due to her being a senior and no space at the county shelter she was put on the Euth List. Ruff Beginnings pulled her the day she was going to be put down."
More than 40 dogs attended the very special prom, and six have been adopted because of the event so far — with lots more receiving inquiries. Every dog in attendance had such a blast, dancing and snuggling the night away. They were able to showcase what amazing dogs they are, and how much they deserve their own forever homes.
Washington, DC - We are building our development department in anticipation of our new facility campaign, and the planned expansion of our community and medical programs. If you know a passionate, capable and seasoned fund raiser who would like to have a work life that is immersed in service to our cause, and wants to really make their mark in fund raising, animal welfare and social enterprise (regionally and beyond), please send them to this link: Careers Website:Humane Rescue Alliance
My Pet for Today! Meet Sweet Pria:
Seven-year-old Pria is the sweetest girl! She came to the Humane Rescue Alliance last week when her owner could no longer afford to care for her. She's a big girl at almost 80 pounds, but she's an independent lady who enjoys sniffing and exploring the places she's in. Though she's independent, Pria does love petting! If you're looking for a pup who's the best of both worlds, meet her at our New York Avenue adoption center today! humanerescuealliance.org/adopt #AdoptHRA
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. Please Share!
There's an app your dog has been waiting for and its finally here…it's called BarkHappy. It's sort of like Tinder for your dog, but with more features. You create a profile for your dog and descriptions of the things they like. You'll be able to add other dogs to your pack and send "wags." The app lets you discover friendly dog places in your area and events. Plus you can host your own play dates. You'll also receive lost and found alerts, exclusive offers and more. BarkHappy is available nationwide and the best part? It's FREE.
There are drones to deliver pizza, drones which follow people around taking selfies – but someone has just come up with something a little more useful. Dogdrones is a fleet of aerial and rolling robots, designed to work as a team to clean the streets of dog poop. The system consists of two units – Watch Dog and Patrol Dog – which are already under test in prototype form. Watch Dog is a flying drone which spots dog poop by looking for warm spots (in other words, fresh ones). It then transmits coordinates to Patrol Dog, a rolling ground drone which scoops up and disposes of the poop. Tinki, the start-up behind the idea, says, “By receiving GPS coordinates PD1 gets the command to immediately dispose of the dog poop. With a camera and thermal imaging WD1 is scanning its environment. The drone is able to detect dog poop while it still has the body temperature of the dog.”
A woman who neighbors say lived alone and kept mostly to herself shared her home with many animals, and a lot of them were found dead. Katie McGinness, a mother of two, has walked her dog past the home at 132 Timberline Drive many times. She’s shocked to learn the lady living there had approximately 100 dead snakes in a bedroom. “I was just amazed,” said McGinness. “It was just chaotic. I mean we had cops, we had the fire department,” said Rob Long, who lives next door to 132 Timberline Drive. On February 16, police were called out to do a welfare check and found deplorable conditions. They says the entire floor of the house was covered with animal feces, and in a bedroom there were numerous plastic bins containing dead pythons. “I mean why would anyone have 100 snakes?” asked Long. The dead snakes were ball pythons, which are not poisonous and grow to 3-4 feet long. “I was stunned, saddened because I watched them take some of the animals out,” McGinness said. “I feel sorry for her, ‘cause I guess, I don’t know if she doesn’t have anyone to ask for help or she just got over her head with what she was doing,” Long said. A local wildlife expert says for one person, feeding and taking care of 100 snakes at home would be practically a full time job. “It’s just a sad situation. I’m going to assume that she was an animal lover, as we all are around here. However it just kind of got away from her,” said Amy Kight, animal care director at Busch Wildlife Sanctuary in Jupiter. Neighbors say they shudder to think what might’ve happened if the snakes got loose in the neighborhood. “That’s crazy. But it’s scary too, because if one of them escapes it’s scary,” said Sophia Simpson, 10, a neighbor. Besides 100 dead snakes, authorities also removed some live animals, including two dogs, a couple of tortoises and parakeets and two snakes and an African gray parrot. A Palm Beach County Animal Care and Control official said Thursday night as far as he knows, all of the animals have been adopted out. The woman who had the dead snakes in her home, Jennifer Morrison, 59, was cited for confining animals without sufficient food and water.
Knoxville, TN - One of the newest employees at East Tennessee Children's Hospital is a four-legged friend whose job is to brighten the days of folks around the facility. Farley, a golden retriever puppy born in October 2016, is the hospital's first-ever full-time facility support animal. The lovable canine will take on her new job in memory of a former patient. The idea for ETCH to get a facility dog came from 16-year-old oncology patient Kristyn Farley, explained Sue Wilburn, who is the V.P. of Human Resources and Farley's caretaker and handler. Kristyn died last year but she had a passion for dogs and greater access to them while in ETCH's care, explained Wilburn. A grant from PetSmart Charities helped the hospital get the facility dog and hospital volunteers set up a fund to cover daily expenses. Christina Ryskamp, store leader at PetSmart Knoxville located at West Town Mall, nominated the hospital to receive the grant. “For years, our team has worked with East Tennessee Children’s Hospital to collect and donate plush toys to bring a smile to the faces of its pediatric patients during the holiday season. Seeing the reaction of those children inspired us to want to do more,” said Ryskamp. It'll still be a bit of time before Farley moves into her full-time position. For now, she's working in the Human Resources department and will soon begin a 6-week puppy training program. Before interacting with patients Farley must complete a comprehensive training program, undergo temperament evaluations and be at least a year old. She'll primarily be a staff dog but will be available to visit with patients, when a volunteer therapy dog isn't available.
A Danish man has committed suicide after his dog was seized by the authorities and euthanized in compliance with the country’s Pit Bull legislation. Under Denmark’s law, the dog’s owner, Dan, was given eight days to prove that his canine, Zanto, was not one of the country’s prohibited breeds. When Dan, whose last name has not been released, could not prove that Zanto was a prohibited breed, the dog was confiscated and put down. Unable to cope with his dog’s death, Dan, 27, reportedly took an overdose of pain medication and died. Denmark’s breed-specific legislation, titled the “Dog Act”, requires police to seize and euthanize dogs that “savage” a human person or another dog. The Dog Act makes illegal the ownership and breeding of 13 breeds of canines, including the Pit Bull terrier, the Kangal, the South Russian Shepherd Dog, the Dogo Argentino, Boerboel and the American Bulldog. The legislation does not take into account the behavior of any individual dog who falls into one of the prohibited breed categories. The legislation passed in 2010 raised the number of banned breeds to 13. On April 19, the Facebook page Foreningen Fair Dog Fan side, wrote: "Zanto (the dog) was ripped out of Dan’s arms, (Zanto’s owner) because he looked like one of the now banned dog breeds, or mixture of both. Zanto had nothing done, he is a good, devoted and happy dog and has never done a fly mischief. The owner had 8 days to prove Zanto’s creator, but we all know that it is not a possible task. Dan was given eight days to prove that his canine, Zanto, was not one of the country’s prohibited breeds, but was unable to do so. There have been many attempts to change Denmark’s breed-specific dog laws, including a Change.org petition, none of which has succeeded". The Animal Law Coalition has cited studies according to which breed-specific legislation and bans have not reduced the number of dog bites in the country. The organization has had this to say about the breed-specific laws Denmark continues to enforce: Denmark is moving in the opposite direction from other European Union countries that have discovered breed discrimination does not work to prevent or reduce dog bite incidents. Yet, Denmark’s Dog Act was upheld in 2014.
This was originally posted by Fitim Sejfijaj, a member of a Kosovo-based poultry-enthusiast group on Facebook called "Shpeztaria Dekorative," which translates to "Decorative Poultry," the video went viral this week after it was reposted on Twitter. "Am I the only person wondering why this chicken is so big?" Twitter user @LifesBook_CEO asked the internet. He is definitely not alone. The video of the amazing-looking creature already has 40,000 retweets, 54,000 likes and thousands of comments, so TODAY Food had to get the real deal about this huge bird. "It's an example of a real breed called the Brahma chicken," Emily Lhamon, a poultry health educator for Penn State Extension http://extension.psu.edu/animals/poultry, told TODAY. "I'm short, and these birds come up tall on me," Lhamon said, noting that most males top out at 2½ to 3 feet, max. "They grow to be quite large, but not Great Dane-sized. They are more feathers than they are meat. They're fluffy and look heavier than they actually are." Weight-wise, they range from about 11 to 18 pounds, in the most extreme cases, Jeannette Beranger, senior program manager for The Livestock Conservancy, told TODAY. "They are great birds — a laid-back, wonderful breed," Beranger assured us. In case you're wondering, Brahma chickens are not the result of modern-day GMOs or antibiotics. They've been around since about 1850, through old-fashioned breeding of large birds from Asia. "They bred the two biggest chickens back then to create what they wanted to stylistically," Lhamon explained. Popular for eating back then, the breed has since fallen out of favor — not because it's not tender enough, but because the birds are expensive to raise because they eat a lot. But they also take longer to mature and get to market than newer breeds of chickens, Lhamon said. "You could lose your shirt feeding a flock of Brahmas," Beranger agreed. Because of their size, they don't do well in warm climates, and they can be hard to care for. Their feathered feet don't mix well with muddy conditions, for example. Brahma chickens are considered endangered, but people do eat their eggs (which are a normal size in case you're wondering) and some of the chickens become dinner too. "As we always say, 'you have to eat them to save them,'" says Beranger. "They are chickens after all and need a job beyond being someone's pet or lawn ornament. For those that are not breeding quality, that job is to be food for the table." Funnily enough, much like the reaction the birds got on social media this week, the Brahma chickens actually set off "hen fever" in the United States and England, after they were introduced in Europe in the mid-1800s. "It came to be considered quite trendy to be breeding chickens. It was a gentleman's farmer-type activity to get your name associated with creating something new," Beranger said — not unlike the hipster obsession with urban farming we're seeing today, we might add. Curious to get a look at one yourself, in real life? Our experts suggested seeking out poultry shows such as the Ohio National Poultry Show in Columbus, which Lhamon likened to the Westminster Kennel Club Dog Show of chicken shows. Or you can likely find a show in your own area, nationwide. "Throughout the country, you're always going find a Brahma chicken at a poultry show," Beranger said. "They're real show stoppers."
With their feathered feet and larger size, Brahma chickens like this one are "show stoppers" at show like the American Poultry Association's, Jeannette Beranger of The Livestock Conservancy says.
New York - 46 dogs where flown to New York from South Korea after being rescued from a farm where they were to be killed for human consumption, animal advocates said Sunday. The Humane Society International is responsible for saving the dogs that were fed barely enough to survive. The animals arrived at Kennedy International Airport late Saturday and were headed to emergency shelters in New York, Maryland and Pennsylvania on Sunday. The farm in Goyang, a city just north of Seoul, "was more like a dungeon, where there's very little light, little to no ventilation, so the stench of ammonia would bring tears to your eyes when you walk through," said Kelly O'Meara, who oversees the society's companion animal-related international projects. "You'd see eyes peering at you, but it was hard to actually see the dogs themselves in the dark." An estimated 17,000 other such farms still operate in South Korea, said O'Meara. However, she said, it's a diminishing industry in a society where demand for dog meat has been plummeting. Meat from about 2 million dogs still is eaten there each year. In the United States, the rescued dogs will be available for adoption after the shelters evaluate their behavior and medical needs and make sure each one is ready for a new life in someone's home. In South Korea, O'Meara said, the dogs receive no veterinary care of any kind. "They either get through it or they die in their cage and they receive just enough food to get by," she said. At the seven farms from which the Humane Society rescued more than 800 dogs since 2015, those to be slaughtered included both mixed breed dogs and purebred ones — from a Chihuahua and a Maltese to various spaniels and a Saint Bernard. A German shorthaired pointer and a miniature pinscher came from the latest farm. The Washington-based Humane Society International, which relies on private donations, deals directly with farmers to close down and demolish dog meat businesses and help owners financially to transition to other work. The animals must be taken abroad, O'Meara said, because they're generally not wanted in South Korea as pets or companion dogs. Some had been abandoned pets, and others were raised to be sold as pets but given to the meat industry if that failed.
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Shelter workers found this pony in a sad state of neglect, with hooves curled around his feet, making it nearly impossible to walk. They were amazed that the pony could even walk off the trailer. When he arrived at a shelter in Belgium, his hooves were so long, they curled around themselves. It seemed this pony was saved just in time. A healthy horse, or pony, has their hooves trimmed every few weeks. But this poor pony had been forgotten about, starved and unkempt, living in a makeshift shelter. When the pony was picked up, along with another horse, they stood on a mound of manure nearly two feet high. The owner finally handed over the pony and horse to the authorities and they were brought to Animaux en Péril, a local sanctuary in Belgium. Rescuers couldn’t believe a pony could survive like this. Not only were his hooves in such bad shape but he was 200 pounds underweight. A healthy Shetland Pony should weigh 450 pounds, he only weighed 154 pounds. Both Poly and his mate, now named Everest, underwent extensive grooming. They were both shampooed and sheared to rid them of lice and dirt, their hooves were trimmed, then they were wrapped in blankets to keep them warm. Both Poly and Everest have a long way to go– but each day they are with people who love and care for them, their futures are looking so much brighter.
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
