Archive for November, 2008

In Memory of Shepp

November 26, 2008 at 10:00 am · Filed under Animal Stories, Animal welfare ·Tagged , , , , , , ,

I got this youtube video – a song dedicated to a german sheperd that was chained and starved to death. His name is Shepp.

Here is the video:

Here is the information that I have found from the video site:

JUSTICE for SHEPP

Shepp was a dog that was left for well over a month, to die with no food or water and chained to the extent that his collar was embedded in his skin. No one cared. The neighbors saw him suffering, yet nobody did anything until it was too late. Someone had placed food by him, but by then he was too weak to even get up. Someone contacted (KZTV) a news station that stands up for people and animals alike.

Shepp was taken to animal control were he was cared for by the vets and staff there, I know for a fact, for I was able to see him from behind the glass on Friday afternoon. The tech, vets and staff that were there with him, treating him with such compassion and care. Shepp passed away later that afternoon, which was devastating to the vets and staff.

His will to live was there, he wagged his tail and even tried to lift his head. However his body couldn’t take it, due to the extreme neglect he endured for a month. He left this life. (KZTV Action 10 News) has set up a site for Shepp, they will remain attentive to this story.

What is needed is signatures on a petition started out for justice.

In these cases of cruelty it is often difficult to catch and charge those responsible. For one month. Shepp had no food, little or no water. There are many that are in dire need of help and it is appalling how long this went on.

Our VOICE can make all the difference ..

Please take a moment, as hard as it is, please, view the video. It tears me apart, but to bear witness, we shall speak out for those that cannot.

Thank you my dear friends. And please REPOST Shepp’s story far and wide. That justice may prevail and to those who stood by and did nothing you must be held accountable as well. For the guilt lies heavy upon you.

Action 10 News
301 Artesian
Corpus Christi, Texas 78401

Telephone (361) 883-7070
Fax (361) 884-8111
Email: news@kztv10.com
Date: Sep 22, 2008 8:14 PM

I am at a loss to express the sorrow and anger I feel .

I only wonder why and how can people turn their heads and say it’s only an animal…

PLEASE SIGN THE PETITION -

http://www.thepetitionsite.com/65/jus…

I am just wondering who is the more animal (in behavior) of the two: the animal itself or the heartless owner who left him to die?

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The Search For The First Dog

November 12, 2008 at 2:15 am · Filed under Animal Stories ·Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , ,

The speculation swirled and the search for the First Dog soon ensued. I think President Elect Obama have been receiving hundreds of emails, suggesting a potential candidate for the position of First Dog (as he promised in his speech that his daughters will get a puppy when they move to the White House)

I have been following the story too. So far, there have been 2 suggested candidates that have emerged in the headlines today.

Karina Encarnacion and the Coton de Tulear

In my other blog, The Liberal Chronicles (http://ansatsu29.wordpress.com/), Karina Encarnacion, an 8 year old Filipina girl suggested this particular breed from Madagascar called Coton de Tulear which is said to be hypoallergenic dog.

Coton de Tulear from Madagascar / Photo by Wikipedia

Coton de Tulear from Madagascar / Photo by Wikipedia

Mallia, the First Daughter is said to be allergic to dander or sheddings of dogs. This breed may seem hairy and all-furry enough, but Karina (and Wikipedia too) says it has little to no shedding at all. Perfect and cute candidate for a potential First Dog.

Information about the breed:

  • The Coton is a playful, affectionate, intelligent breed. Some people consider it as a completely non-aggressive breed when given the proper love and care it deserves. It loves people and as a result can have separation anxiety. It loves life and is enthusiastic and lively. It is a very vocal breed, grunting and making other noises when having fun. Some Cotons have a habit of jumping up and walking on their hind legs to please people.
  • Most Cotons love meeting new people and are very curious in new situations. The dogs are very trainable with praise, instead of punishment. They are great with other dogs.
  • The Coton has a long coat which needs a thorough grooming everyday, and a bath about once a month. Cotons like Poodles are hypoallergenic so they have hair (a lot like human hair), this making them very popular and compatible with people who have allergies. Because they have hair, they don’t shed. Instead, they lose a small amount of hair.
  • The most serious of these would be heart problems, liver shunts, back (disc) problems or eye problems. Luckily these are still relatively uncommon in the breed but are becoming more so as puppy mills and pet shops in the US and Europe have discovered the breed. Many “Cotons” being sold on the internet are actually mixed breeds from puppy mills.

The Peruvians and their Hairless Dog

Taking the Obama fever to the max, the Peruvians went gaga over their own (and ancient) Peruvian Hairless Dog. It has a history of being the royal pet of the Incan kings in the ancient times. Despite its hairless appearance (and to some people, they call that dog ‘ugly’), it has a reputation of being clean.

The Peruvian Hairless Dog / Photo by Wikipedia

The Peruvian Hairless Dog / Photo by Wikipedia

Information about the breed:

  • Reputation of being clean
  • Peruvian Hairless dogs are affectionate with family but wary of strangers. They are typically lively, alert and friendly with other dogs but can be protective as well. These dogs do not like to be alone, but when trained, can do well. These dogs are intolerant of extreme temperatures and are agile and fast.
  • The lack of hair leads to a reputation for being clean, for being easy to wash with a sponge, and for a natural lack of fleas or other parasites.
  • The skin should be taken care of frequently. Almost all of this breed tend to have acne or at least blackheads. The skin often becomes too dry and can be treated with some kind of moisturing cream.
  • Protection against sunlight may be necessary, depending on the season and the color of the dog’s skin. The dark-colored dogs get used to direct sunlight and need to be looked after only in spring when sunlight gets stronger. The light-colored dogs (copper) and spotted ones have to be protected always, in summer. They tend to quickly sunburn.
  • Like all breeds there are some health problems. There include IBD, seizures, stroke, and skin lesions. They are very sensitive to toxins and care should be taken in use of insecticides. Insecticides are absorbed through the skin and body fat keeps these toxins from entering the liver too quickly. Since these dogs have very low body fat toxins are absorbed too quickly and cause severe damage to the nervous system and GI tract

For full article on Peruvians and their hairless dog, check this URL:

http://uk.reuters.com/article/lifestyleMolt/idUKTRE4A97H820081110?rpc=64&pageNumber=2&virtualBrandChannel=0

Anyways, whatever the breed of the First Dog, I am sure that Obama will take a shelter dog – which is good (and his quip, “Mutts like me”) since shelter dogs are vaccinated and have other vet  records which can help the Obamas get their potential candidate for their First Dog. Aside from that, it helps promote adopting pets since most of the shelter dogs have been abused in their past, been left dying and sickly, or found wandering in the streets – these dogs deserve care and love. And it’s good to know too that the First Family have opted to choose a shelter dog than go for the pure breeds (no offense to the breeders out there) – which promotes the ideals of adopting a shelter animal and giving the love and care they deserve.

Blogger’s note: Information about the dogs came from Wikipedia.com

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An Update from SPCA.com and Operation Baghdad Pups

November 6, 2008 at 2:08 am · Filed under Animal welfare, Baghdad Pups cases, SPCA ·Tagged , , , , , , , , , ,

I got this from an email sent to me by one of my friends. Its one of the press releases from SPCA and Baghdad Pups. It reads:

Connecticut Soldier’s Dog is Welcomed Home by Soldier’s Parents

Washington, DC, November 3 – Operation Baghdad Pups is a SPCA International (www.SPCA.com) initiative created to provide medical care, clearance and transport for animals U.S. soldiers have come to love during deployment in the Middle East.  Yesterday, a U.S. soldier’s dog arrived in Connecticut after a long journey from Iraq. Wayne and Susan Szmyt welcomed their son’s dog, Kindi, to their Trumball home this weekend.  Kindi arrived in the U.S. at Dulles International Airport Saturday afternoon along with 3 other soldiers’ dogs thanks to SPCA International’s Operation Baghdad Pups program. The Szmyt’s son, Derek, will be returning home from Iraq soon to be reunited with Kindi.

“I know firsthand how much these animals mean to the troops:  a furry bundle that sleeps in a lap when a soldier is overcome by exhaustion; a friend that a soldier can cradle when overcome with grief for a fallen or injured comrade; a buddy that is a playful companion when a soldier is overwhelmed with homesickness,” explains Susan Szmyt.

SPCA International is a non-profit animal welfare organization that has been helping U.S. troops rescue their pets since September 2007.  Operation Baghdad Pups program is run entirely on generous donations from the public.  Susan and Wayne Szmyt request donations be made at www.SPCA.com to help more soldiers, like their son, save the animals they love.

Hundreds of U.S. soldiers in the Middle East befriend animals in the war zone to help themselves cope with the hardship and terror they face every day.  These dogs and cats become their lifeline - saving them from deep depression and Post-traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD).  The military refuses to help or formally recognize the lifeline these animals give to our mentally wounded soldiers. Veterans returned from Iraq are committing suicide at twice the rate of average Americans.  The dogs and cats befriended by our troops rescued by Operation Baghdad Pups are providing proven pet therapy to soldiers who may otherwise suffer from PTSD and deep depression.

Susan and Wayne Szmyt are available for interviews.

Press Contact:

Stephanie Scroggs
SPCA International, Director of Communications

(206) 999-4341

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The arrival of Kindi is one of success stories of OBP. Let us continue our support for them so that they can rescue more dogs and help more soldiers like Derek Smzyt and Gwen Beberg. Kudos to everyone who made the effort in making this heartwarming stories be known.

Here is the official site of Baghdad Pups: http://baghdadpups.com/

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My Furry Thoughts…

November 6, 2008 at 1:59 am · Filed under Animal Stories, Animal welfare ·Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Tama the Cat in the Kishikawa line / Photo from Times Online

Tama the Cat in the Kishikawa line / Photo from Times Online

Well, I have received several stories from my friend and here are some snippets of them:

Cat Saves the Bankrupt Rail Station in Japan

Have you heard about Tama the Cat? Have you heard too that the cat saved a bankrupt train station in Japan, the Kishikawa line and single handedly pumped 10 million dollars!

Here is an excerpt of the story I have found:

All the nine-year-old cat does is sit by the entrance of Kishi station in a railway uniform cap and pose for photos for the tourists. Tama has done such a good job of raising revenue for the Kishikawa train line that she was recently promoted to “super-station-master”.

For full article, check this link: http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/world/asia/article4009668.ece

That is son of a cat! But good thing that the cat had helped the ailing station. I hope other cats will follow his lead (aside from the purring…! :) )

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Pet Care and the Economic Crisis

My friend found a blog article story about pet care and the economic crisis. Here is an excerpt:

The current economic crisis felt here in the states is not a unique situation. As we know, the rest of the world is reeling from the credit crisis and the economic slowdown that is plaguing us all. I have mentioned in the past how pets, especially dogs fall victim to a failing economy. In terms of the housing crisis, many dogs were left when their owners abandoned their homes. All of these dogs suffered and many died. Other dogs were taken to local shelters where the resources at those establishments are being stretched to the limit. For the dogs that remain in homes where the stress of shrinking funds and higher costs prevail, those animals feel the stress as well and it manifests itself with doggie behavioral issues.

For full article, check this link: http://www.myfriendlypets.com/money-is-tight-for-dog-care-all-over-the-world/

Well, my thoughts? Its not only humans that suffer in an economic crisis but animals too. The key here is responsible pet ownership. Dont have a dog or cat if you cant care for it. If you have pets, take good care of them. Its only a simple phrase that sometimes few people can understand despite the simplicity.

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Military Hospital for Military Working Dogs

Here is another great story:

In San Antonio, Texas a new $15,000,000 military hospital has opened to serve the 4-legged members of the military who rarely get the recognition or medical care they deserve. However with the opening of this facility, at Lackland Air Force Base, advanced medical care can now be given to military dogs who have suffered severe injuries as a result of their military service. There are over 2500 working military dogs serving all branches. Many currently are deployed to Iraq and Afghanistan. When the dogs become injured, they are treated on the battlefield. If need be, they are moved to Germany to receive more advance treatment and if more intense care is needed, the dogs will be flown now to San Antonio.

Army Col. Bob Vogelsang, director of the veterinary hospital says the following about the new facility, “We act as the Walter Reed of the veterinary world,” referring to the Washington military medical center that treats troops returning severely wounded from Iraq and Afghanistan. Up until this point dogs have been treating and rehabilitating injured combat dogs in a cramped building that was first used in 1968 when the military began to train dogs to work in Vietnam.

For full article, check on this link: http://www.myfriendlypets.com/walter-reed-for-combat-dogs/

Well, good thing that there are great guys out there who would care for the military working dogs there. They have suffered as much as the soldiers out there. Of course, every dog out there deserves good treatment – even the strays! Hope that the military should review General Order 1A.

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The Latest Update for Kindi the Puppy

November 5, 2008 at 1:56 am · Filed under Animal welfare, Baghdad Pups cases, SPCA ·Tagged , , , , , , , , ,

Good news dear readers!

I have received the news from Derek Szmyt’s mom, Mrs. Susan Szmyt that Kindi has already arrived in Connecticut. She quoted:

“Hi, I am Susan Szmyt, Derek’s mom. Kindi arrived in the U.S.on Thursday, October 30, and my husband and I picked him up Saturday night. He is currently resting comfortably at our home in Connecticut awaiting Derek’s homecoming when he comes home on leave the week of Thanksgiving. We are so thankful to SPCA Internatonal, especially the Program Manager, Terri Crisp, and everyone who made Kindi’s homecoming a reality“

Welcome home Kindi and kudos to everyone who made the effort in making Kindi come home to the US. Another pup has been saved, another pup that will have a warm home and a loving family. Congratulations to Baghdad Pups and their supporters. Kudos to us all!

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