NEWS BULLETIN: spcaLA law enforcement action

courtesy spcaLA

Charles Ferguson, owner and operator of J.R. Ewing Guard Dogs, Inc. et al was arrested for 3 Felony and 9 Misdemeanor animal cruelty counts as a result of an investigation by spcaLA Humane Officers. See release here: http://spcala.com/newsreleases/article.php?release=297

Los Angeles Bans Puppy Mill Pets in Stores

courtesy spcaLA

Los Angeles city council voted on Wednesday in favor of an ordinance to ban pet stores from selling dogs, cats and rabbits obtained from commercial breeders and puppy mills. Instead, pet stores will be required to sell animals from shelters, humane societies located in the City of Los Angeles and registered, legitimate rescue groups. The hope is to address pet overpopulation and high euthanasia rates by forcing people to provide homes for already homeless pets rather than continuing to "make more" homeless pets.

People will still be able to buy directly from breeders but stores that sell those animals can face misdemeanor charges.

Certainly this is an important step in informing the nation of the sad fate of unwanted animals and modifying attitudes that encourage waste and support the disposability of our assets, both flora and fauna, but it is not a simple step to execute.

spcaLA, in its 135 years of experience and as the national leader in the shelter pet mall store experience, has already dealt with some of the issues that will absolutely need addressing in the implementation of this new ordinance. For example the creation of shelter contracts with stores that speaks to fees, length of stay, need for staff, transfers, and enforcement of  humane protections the absence of which can create more pain and suffering for our pets.

It is important that we ensure that the passage of this ordinance not end up a political chimera but a thoughtful, enforceable, tangible step towards its goal.

Mother Mountain Lion and Her Three Cubs Killed in Northern California

courtesy Google images

The Department of Fish and Game killed a mother and three baby mountain lions, who they asserted were "terrorizing" Rescue, a neighborhood in Northern California. Despite the fact that this lion family was suspected of killing a residents' goat, and perhaps other livestock, the people of Rescue were upset that Fish and Game, again, resorted to killing the cat and her cubs.

As we search for space, fresh air and "nature", we forget that we encroach upon the natural habitats of animals with whom we share this planet. These animals are also part of the "nature" that we seek as a respite from crowded and smoggy cities. These animals need food and water regardless of whether houses stand where once they did not.  In other words, just because we change our address does not mean the wildlife we displace consents to politely starve to death and to stop behaving naturally. 

It also means that those charged with the responsibility of enforcing the protection of our native and protected species, (a class in which mountain lions reside), must behave better than the rest of us and work to negate our egocentric ignorant assumptions and behaviors.  Teaching people to cope, exploring relocation options, and creating wildlife corridors to expand areas of natural habitat could ultimately help save the lives of both the lions and the goat. It is also up to residents of areas where it is foreseeable to encounter a mountain lion to take steps to keep pets and farm animals in secure, indoor enclosures at night.

The Department of Fish and Game has always rejected that they were in the preservation business when criticized for too hastily hunting and killing one of our "game" animals. They insist that hunting and "taking" of "game" is necessary to manage herd populations. They have also had a terrible season during which their Commission president posted pictures of a lion that he killed out of state, a baby lion was gunned down at their direction in Santa Monica as well as other such difficult incidents. Yet, this past legislative session they removed the word "game" from Fish and Game and replaced it with "wildlife" so as to diminish and eliminate the hunting connotations emitted by the word "game" - clearly a distinction in "game" only.

They are not fooling anybody nor will Californians mistake such flimsy appearances for reality. Instead of asking the words to do the work of softening their image so as to appear less like government hunters why don't they just act that way? 

Trust me - this word play is no game to lions or goats.

I Am Honored and I Thank You

So often, I’m asked – how does spcaLA advocate on behalf of abandoned and abused animals?  Preventing cruelty to animals through education and advocacy is part of the spcaLA Mission and something I take seriously as a voice for the voiceless animals. 

As YOUR spcaLA President, I often have the opportunity to travel and speak to advocates, colleagues, students, law enforcement, and law makers about animal welfare, animal cruelty, and the cutting edge programs of YOUR spcaLA. 

I am proud, humbled and honored to have been invited to the Center for Animal Law Studies at Northwestern School of Law of Lewis & Clark College as its first Distinguished Visiting Animal Advocate.   Next week, I will be lecturing to the students enrolled in the J.D. program as well as the world’s first advanced LL.M. (Masters of Laws) program in animal law.

There, I will share lessons learned about prosecuting animal cruelty – lessons learned at YOUR spcaLA.

Help to add to our volume – speak out against animal cruelty, donate, volunteer and share the work of YOUR spcaLA to help abandoned and abused animals in our community and beyond.

Thank you for this opportunity.

CALL TO ACTION -HELP BEARS, BOBCATS AND HOUNDS

Courtesy Google Images

California Senate bill 1221, authored by Senator Ted Lieu, will stop the cruel sport of "hounding" in which dogs are used to hunt and detain bears and bobcats so the latter can be killed by the hunter. Indirectly, the passage of this bill will also protect the hounds involved from poor treatment by their hunters.

The bill is now ready to go before the assembly. Please contact your assembly person and urge them to vote for SB1221.

To read more on this "sport", please see my earlier post http://spcalapresident.blogspot.com/2012/04/stop-cruel-and-bullying-pastime-of.html which more fully describes the practice.

Thank you.

Louisiana Tech Bulldog Mascot Dies of Heatstroke

courtesy Google images

Tech XX, the English bulldog who served as the mascot for the Louisiana Tech University sports teams died of heatstroke after being left outside in the heat too long.

An employee let the dog out to use the bathroom and forgot to let him back in. The 102 degree outside temperature proved too much for Tech XX who succumbed to heatstroke.

The same employee, in an effort to distract authorities from his actions, originally reported the dog as missing. Students searched for the dog and a reward for his safe return was advertised until the truth was discovered. Patrick Sexton, the dog's caretaker, issued the following statement:

"Regretfully, I learned this morning that through negligence of an employee, Tech XX was left outside too long on Sunday evening and passed away from a heat stroke. That employee unfortunately chose to handle it the wrong way and attempted to cover it up. Due to this negligence, the employee is no longer employed by Sexton Animal Health Center."

It has been further reported by CNN that Tech XX's predecessor, Tech XIX,  was retired in 2007 for health issues resulting from heat stroke!

The legend of the Louisiana Tech bulldog mascot dates back to 1899 when students found an old stray bulldog and persuaded the owner of their boarding house  to let the dog stay. That same night a fire broke out in the boarding house and the bulldog ran through the house alerting the students until all were safely outside. Unfortunately the dog did not survive the fire.

It is right that the noble hero bulldog of 1899 deserves honor and fame. It is, however, critical to also understand the susceptibility of bulldogs to heat stroke and related disorders so that they can be properly cared for.

This would be a good time to think about whether the bulldog of 1899 could be commemorated another way, the bulldog is an appropriate choice in the heat and humidity characteristic of Louisiana, and whether a person in a climate controlled bulldog costume would be a smarter choice.

Human negligence notwithstanding, exposing dogs to such heat seems an odd way to pay homage to a hero.


Article first published as Louisiana Tech University English Bulldog Mascot Dead of Heatstroke on Technorati.

Elephants Are spcaLA Business!

spcaLA early horse ambulance

After speaking out on the recent court decision condemning the treatment of the elephants at the Los Angeles Zoo, I received some advice from some members of the public to "stick to spcaLA business and stay out of the business of elephants and everything else".

Though these comments were few in number, I feel compelled to say something.

Since 1877 spcaLA has been caring for all animals, including women and children of the species human. Be it work horses, beasts of burden, circus animals, sharks or a pet canary, spcaLA was and continues to be here to stop and prevent animal cruelty. In the 1860s Henry Bergh, the father of the spca movement, was known to have fights with P.T. Barnum himself outside the big top when the circus would come to town!  California state law gives us jurisdiction over "every dumb creature" which includes elephants, mountain lions, mice and dogs.

It is spcaLA business to prevent cruelty to animals through education, law enforcement, intervention and advocacy whenever and wherever it exists.

Henry Bergh was nicknamed the "great meddler" as he always spoke up and interceded on behalf of an animal in need. I accept that mantle and raise the bar to that of "equalizer" as spcaLA has and will continue to protect our vulnerable animals by equalizing the disparity in power, neutralizing the bullies and leveraging the law until it is no longer necessary to do so.

The treatment of elephants is spcaLA business.

      
  "A man is truly ethical only when he obeys the compulsion to help all life which he is able to        assist and shrinks from injuring anything that lives."   Albert Schweitzer