While Dining With My Family I Received A Text ....

While dining with my family I received a text containing a photo of this dog, brought in by spcaLA Humane Officers. Upon their insistence I showed them the picture. Each gasped audibly enough to attract the attention of other diners, neither had seen anything like it before and both looked at me puzzled. I asked them what they thought I did every day to which they replied "attend cockfights, inspect elephants, and rescue animals during disasters". While all true - it is not all right.

courtesy spcaLA

Dogs like this are everywhere. They are the bulk of cases handled by legitimate spcas and humane societies. They are common and routine residents of shelters. They are the silent majority.

They are not the cases that attract attention, as media has "done" them before. They do not represent the big sexy issues, such as puppy mills and dog-fighting, used by "national" groups to fund raise millions of dollars. They are a dime a dozen and boring.

As such, legislators more interested in publicity, hype and reelection, gravitate toward more high profile topics. For example, laws are constantly enacted to address dog-fighting while there are actually very few dog fighting cases prosecuted. Conversely, we have been struggling (for years) in California to strengthen the animal cruelty statute to address a dog like this of which cases abound! These dogs are everywhere. They are the silent majority.

These silent sufferers are caught in the cycle of the mundane. Not interesting, not known, not good for ratings, and not heard. That is why my own family remembers my involvement with a Ringling Brothers unicorn, (a goat with a horn surgically implanted in his forehead) and not with the starving "dog next door".

Well, your spcaLA hears these animals and will keep rescuing them as we have been since 1877. If you would like to speak for them please contact the governor and ask him to sign SB 917 which will increase the penalties for neglect and put them on par with intentional cruelty.

I submit to you that allowing a dog to become this, is intentional.

Article first published as Let's Outlaw Unicorn Fighting-Then I Can Retire on Technorati

Michael Vick to Testify Before Congress and Denounce Dog-Fighting

Michael Vick, Philadelphia Eagles quarterback, and luckiest felon in America, was convicted of state and federal laws related to dog fighting. Upon his release from prison, while still on probation and playing football, Vick has been declaring himself rehabilitated, decrying dog fighting and touting the importance of being kind to animals. To that end, Vick is appearing on Capitol Hill to voice his support for H.R. 2492, a bill that would "prohibit knowing attendance at organized animal fights" and penalize those who cause minors to attend as well.

dog fight victim-Google images

Animal fighting is a gruesome blood sport where typically dogs or cocks are trained to fight each other to the death. It is also financially lucrative as admission fees, gambling winnings, breeding fees and sales of game and training paraphernalia are a big business. There is a huge amount of collateral animal abuse ancillary to the training and treatment of the animals leading up to and including the actual fights. Youngsters are frequently present at fights if not actually staging them.

Dog-fighting and cockfighting are crimes in virtually every state in the country as are animal cruelty, endangering the welfare of a child, and gambling. Some states (like New York and California) also make it a crime to be a knowing spectator at such an event. There is also a federal prohibition against animal fighting as well under the Animal Welfare Act which does not cover spectators. Spectators are considered accomplices and enablers in and of the illegal activity as an audience is necessary for the fights to be profitable.

Vick is appearing with representatives from the Humane Society of the United States (HSUS), an organization neither related to nor an umbrella entity for any other humane society, to espouse his new disapproval of the "sport" and to urge passage of the bill. The unholy symbiotic alliance between Vick and HSUS, has generated controversy in and of itself as to the optics, and motives of such a partnership, and one would hope that it would not detract from the importance of passing H.R. 2492.

Article first published as Michael Vick to Testify Before Congress and Denounce Dog-Fighting on Technorati.

Study Suggests No Such Thing as a Hypoallergenic Dog

There is no such thing as a hypoallergenic dog. Yet millions of allergy sufferers search for this magical fix.  Even President Obama claimed has could not adopt a shelter dog because his daughter needed a hypoallergenic puppy.  Animal experts have been asserting, forever, that while some dogs shed less than others, all dogs have dander and saliva which will impact the susceptible sufferer.

Bo Obama - Google Images

A new study published by the American Journal of Rhinology & Allergy suggests that there may be no difference between allergens present in a hypoallergenic dog or non-hypoallergenic dog.  "Homes with a hypoallergenic dog were no less likely to have detectable levels of dog allergen or to have lower average levels of allergen than homes with a non-hypoallergenic breed", according to Charlotte Nicholas, MPH, of Henry Ford Health System in Detroit, and colleagues. Researchers collected dust samples from the floors of nurseries and analyzed them for the presence of dog allergens. They found no significant difference based on whether the dog was considered to be a hypoallergenic breed or not. Furthermore, "in homes where the dog was allowed in the baby's bedroom, allergen levels tended to be lower with hypoallergenic dogs and in homes where the dog was not allowed in the bedroom, levels tended to be higher with hypoallergenic dogs, although none of the differences reached statistical significance".

This calls to mind another study published in Clinical & Experimental Allergy which suggested that actually exposing infants to pets may actually reduce allergies to pets.

Clinicians were advised to warn patients that they "cannot rely on breeds deemed to be 'hypoallergenic,'" and that "Additional scientific investigation into dog-specific factors and whether hypoallergenic breeds truly exist is warranted."

Additionally, washing the pet often, eliminating carpets, using HEPA air filters, and vacuuming frequently, will also help the allergy sufferer.

So - there is no need to pay huge prices for such "miracle" dogs, patronize puppy mills that breed such dogs, or to believe in baseless representations. There is a need to make sure the allergy sufferer can tolerate a pet and then an enormous need to adopt one from a shelter.

Friends WIth Benefits -Science Says Pets are Good for You

A recent study, published in the Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, concluded that pets are an important source of social support and provide many psychological and physical advantages for their human companions. Specifically, the study, "Friends With Benefits: On the Positive Consequences of Pet Ownership", found that "pet owners had greater self-esteem, were more physically fit, tended to be less lonely, were more conscientious, were more extroverted, tended to be less fearful and tended to be less preoccupied than non-owners."

Google Images

Three experiments were conducted to examine the potential benefits of pet ownership on "everyday people" or those not already suffering from physical or psychological disorders. The first studied 217 people, to compare "well-being" factors such as self-esteem, depression, loneliness and physical illness, between pet owners and non-pet owners. The second involved 56 dog owners to see if "social needs fulfillment" from their dogs predicted owner well-being. In other words, do the social needs filled by ones pet complement and enhance those filled by friends and family. And the third involved 96 people to determine whether a pet could actually "stave off the sting of social isolation and rejection". Specifically, can pets make one feel better about themselves after experiencing some kind of hurt.

The results indicated that there is real proof that pets benefit the lives of their human companions both physically and mentally, and serve as a real source of social support. The researchers wrote "Whereas past work has focused primarily on pet owners facing significant health challenges (e.g., Friedmann & Thomas, 1995; Siegel et al., 1999), the present study establishes that there are many positive consequences for everyday people who own pets".

Of course, pet owners have always known and believed this to be so! Now that there is hard evidence that pets are good for you, there is no excuse not to adopt a pet immediately.

Don't believe me - its science!


Article first published as Friends With Benefits - Pets are Good For You on Technorati.

Allergy Dogs Warn Children of Dangerous Allergens

For most people allergies can be uncomfortable, annoying, seasonal and inconvenient. For some, sensitivity is so severe that exposure can be life threatening. We have all heard of death or near death experiences resulting from bee stings, certain drugs, and, of course - peanuts. Fear of accidental encounters with allergens and their residue can severely impact the quality of life of the allergy sufferer. For afflicted children, the constant vigilance required to avoid the offending food can impair visits with friends, park play dates, and other social interactions.

Enter specially trained allergen sniffing service dogs!  These medical service dogs accompany children everywhere, such as school, parties, restaurants and movies, perform a sweep for the allergen before the child enters, and alerts the child if there is danger.

Recently we learned that exposure to pets in infancy may help prevent allergies, and now we see dogs able to protect against existing allergy attacks. How great is that! How great are dogs!

                            Properly trained, a man can be dog's best friend.
                                                                                     Corey Ford, American writer

Exposing Infants to Pets May Reduce Allergies

Allergies to pets are often cited as the reason that pets are returned to shelters or prohibited from the home in the first place. Though people develop allergic reactions to the pet's saliva or dander, other allergens such as dust, pollen, or mold will lodge in the pet's coat thereby exacerbating other allergies not specific to the pet. Despite this, 70% of American households have a dog or cat and 10 million people suffer from pet allergies. Clearly, pets are either banned or borne.

A study, published in Clinical & Experimental Allergy, followed 566 boys and girls from Detroit from birth to age 18, and monitored their allergic sensitivity throughout their lifetime exposure to dogs and cats. The findings suggested that infants younger than one year who lived with pets were less likely to develop allergies than children who acquired them later in life.  Specifically, boys and girls exposed to cats during infancy were 50% less likely to be allergic to them later, and the same was true of boys and dogs. Oddly, this was not found to be true with girls and dogs. Even odder, was the finding that boys and girls born via cesarean-section were 67% less likely to be sensitive to dogs than those with dogs during the first year of their life! All of this notwithstanding, these conclusions seem to debunk the long held notion that exposing a baby to a pet could trigger an allergic reaction and render the children more susceptible to allergies in later years.

Ganesa Wegienka, PhD, of the Department of Biostatistics and Research Epidemiology at Henry Ford Hospital in Detroit said:  “This research provides further evidence that experiences in the first year of life are associated with health status later in life, and that early life pet exposure does not put most children at risk of being sensitized to these animals later in life.”

However, if allergies are a problem there are some things that can be done to make the afflicted more comfortable such as washing the pet frequently, eliminating carpets, using HEPA air filters, vacuuming frequently, and not allowing the pet to sleep with the sufferer.

Finally, there is no such thing as a hypoallergenic dog. All dogs have saliva and skin. This "magical fix" received national attention when President Obama, rejected the idea of adopting a shelter dog in favor of an "allergy free" pure bred portuguese water dog as one of his daughters suffered from allergies. Some dog breeds simply shed less hair and dander but will activate allergy or asthma attacks in the susceptible. Such dog breeds include some terriers, poodles, schnauzers, water dogs, malteses and spaniels. Light colored female cats produce less allergen as well as some breeds such as the long haired siamese, the oriental short hair and some hairless cats. 

Many of these animals can be found in shelters and rescue groups at affordable prices providing relief for the homeless pet and the allergy sufferer.

Article first published as Exposing Infants to Pets May Reduce Allergies on Technorati.

Discrimination Against Black Dogs is a Real Problem

As school ends and summer draws near, many families consider adopting a dog.  This year consider a black dog and help combat Black Dog Syndrome. 

Black Dog Syndrome is a genuine phenomenon whereby black does are more difficult to adopt out or sell than lighter colored dogs.

One theory for this discrimination is a simple association with the color black with evil, aggression, scariness and bad things. Examples found in folklore (ghostly black dogs haunting cemeteries), Harry Potter stories (three headed black guard dog), and Winston Churchill referring to his depression as his "black dog" cultivate a subconscious fear of these animals.

However on a very conscious level, they simply look more ominous and chimera like as shelters are often poorly lit and these dogs recede into the walls as sad solemn shadows. Black dogs also appear older as many have wisps of white whiskers which suggest aging.

The effect is that more of these dogs will spend longer periods of time caged in shelters or shops with a greater likelihood of euthanasia. Ironically, clients that gravitate to these dogs first are more interested in a guard dog with a fierce look rather than a family pet.

spcaLA and other progressive shelters across the country struggle to make these dogs seem more attractive by housing them in the brightest kennels, showing them out of doors, adorning them with colorful kerchiefs, creating targeted promotions, and even offering discount prices.

Adopting a dog from a shelter rather than purchasing from pet stores, puppy mills and or questionable on line vendors is good karma – a single.

Adopting an older dog rather than a puppy is a good deed and more good karma – a double.

A willingness to open your home to a dog with special medical or behavior needs, perhaps one that was a victim of animal abuse –a good karma triple.

Make that a black dog – a karma home run.