June is Adopt a Cat Month

Each spring, thousands of kittens join the millions of cats already in animal shelters across the country. That means your local shelter has tons of cute, cuddly kittens, lots of mellow, older cats and everything in between! Shelter staff are ready to help you adopt your very first cat — or to bring home a new companion for your current cat.

Here's a list from the American Humane Association of things to do before bringing home your feline friend:

1. If you're thinking about adopting a cat, consider taking home two.
2. Find a cat whose personality matches with yours.
3. Pick out a veterinarian ahead of time and schedule a visit within the first few days following the adoption.
4. Make sure everyone in the house is prepared to have a cat before it comes home.
5. Budget for the short- and long-term costs having of a cat.
6. Stock up on supplies before the cat arrives.
7. Cat-proof your home.
8. Go slowly when introducing your new cat to friends, family and existing pets.
9. Be sure to include your new pet in your family’s emergency plan.
10. If you’re considering giving a cat as a gift, make sure the recipient is an active participant in the adoption process. 

If you're unable to adopt, but you would still like to help promote Adopt-a-Cat month, consider these suggestions from Petfinder:

• Donate your facebook status and/or tweet the following message " June is Adopt-a-Cat Month. Save a life: Adopt a cat!"
• Contact your local shelter or rescue group and ask if they have a wishlist or flyer you can post.
• Share an adoptable cat on your blog, facebook profile or twitter.
• Sign up as a foster parent or shelter volunteer.
• Add a Petfinder banner or widget to your blog or website.

Just think - your next best friend could be waiting for you at your local animal shelter. Kinda gives you goose bumps, doesn't it?

Image via www.freephotobank.org

Joplin Animals Find Shelter at Humane Society

via Neosho Daily News - Dogs, cats, rabbits, parakeets, cockatiels, more than 30 chickens and a pot-bellied pig – animals of all kinds have found shelter at the Joplin Humane Society after the deadly tornado on May 22.

Approximately 500 animals have been brought to the temporary shelter set up by ASPCA next to the Humane Society’s new building.

With close to 100 staff, volunteers and a temporary shelter set up by the ASPCA, the Humane Society can house up to 1,200 animals, and they plan to dispense donated pet food and supplies to those affected by the tornado.

Calls started rolling in early Monday and a temporary shelter was set up later that day, opening to the public on Tuesday. Wednesday they took in nearly 250 animals. Many families have been reunited with their pets, but even if they cannot take their pets with them, it is important to identify them.

The Humane Society will look at a 14-day window to identify the pets before moving to the adoption process and may reach out to local foster networks to help house the animals. Members of the Neosho-based Faithful Friends Animal Advocates say they’re ready to step in when the temporary operation rolls out, but that moment has not come yet.

The shelter will be open daily from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. Organizers ask anyone who is sheltering a dog, but does not know its owner, to bring the dog to the shelter so it can be reunited with its family. Pets are also being listed at www.joplinhumanesociety.com.

Those reporting to the shelter are asked to bring as much identifying information as possible and a picture, if possible.

What you can do to help: Volunteers are needed to move supplies and clean cages. They can register at the Joplin Humane Society, but may be placed on a call list. Donations can be made online at www.joplinhumanesociety.com or in person at the Joplin Humane Society.

Written by Amye Buckley, Neosho Daily News
Original content available for non-commercial use under a Creative Commons license.

Image via Amy Buckley, Neosho Daily News

Help Pair Companion or Service Dogs with Vets with PTSD

via Dog Bless You - From Memorial Day weekend (May 27th) to Independence Day (July 4th), Dog Bless You and explore.org will provide up to 100 companion and service dogs to returning soldiers who suffer from post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). For every 5,000 “likes” the Dog Bless You page receives, explore.org will donate a companion or service dog to a recent war veteran.

Put together in partnership with IAVA (Iraq and Afghanistan Veterans of America), the Dog Bless USA Grant aims to spread awareness about the healing role dogs can play in the lives of those suffering from PTSD.

Contributing to a soldier in need is simple. Just follow these steps:

• "Like" Dog Bless You on Facebook
• Share this link on your Facebook wall: www.dogblessyou.org 
• Tell your friends and family to "like" Dog Bless You too.

It's that easy. Every "like" brings a soldier one step closer to a life-altering companion.

Dog Bless You!

Dogs Deserve Better Set to Close on Michael Vick Property

I love happy endings, and it just doesn't get any better than this! Dogs Deserve Better (DDB), a nonprofit organization dedicated to helping chained and penned dogs, is set to close on the property formerly owned by Michael Vick.

That's right - Bad Newz Kennels will become Good Newz Rehab Center for Chained and Penned Dogs.

"Purchasing this property and in effect giving it back to the victims of the abuse that occurred here is a very powerful step for animal advocates and our country's dogs alike," states Tamira Thayne, DDB founder and CEO. " We are sending a message to those who want to abuse and fight dogs that a new day is dawning in America, a day where dogs are treated with the love and respect they deserve as companions to humans."

Dogs Deserve Better, which has rescued and fostered over 3,000 dogs in the 10 years they've been in operation, hopes to build a facility on the property, which will house and rehabilitate 300-500 dogs per year when it is up and running.

The group has raised the 30% down payment required by the bank and will close on the loan this Friday, May 27. They still need to raise funds to pay the remainder, build a fence around the property to keep the dogs inside and safe, and install temporary housing for dogs.

They are also seeking volunteers to help with these projects, as well as to assist with the move from their current headquarters in Pennsylvania to Virginia.

"I ask every dog lover to donate what they can and spread the word. Ask your family, friends, celebrities, company owners, [and] everyone you can possibly think of, " said Thayne.

For more information on the center, please visit http://www.dogsdeservebetter.org/ddbcenter.html.

Rabbit Awareness Week

May 23-29 is Rabbit Awareness Week in the U.K. sponsored by the Rabbit Welfare Association and Fund (RWAF).

Despite being the third most popular pet in the U.K., rabbits are one of the most neglected domestic animals. A recent study indicates that 75% of the pet rabbits in the U.K. are badly cared for and commonly misunderstood by the people who own them.

The purpose of Rabbit Awareness Week is to help educate people about five rabbit welfare needs:

• Environment - many rabbits are kept in traditional hutches, which are not big enough for the rabbit to lay down, stretch out, stand up or move around. Rabbits need both a sleeping area and an exercise area that is large enough to allow for normal behavior.
• Behavior - lack of an interesting environment, opportunities to exercise, appropriate company and mental stimulation can lead to abnormal behaviors including depression, aggression, self-harming, chewing, altered feeding, drinking and toileting habits, sitting in a hunched position, excessive hiding, reluctance to move and repeated circling. It's important for rabbit owners to know how to prevent these problems.
• Company - many people don't realize that rabbits, like people, are social animals and can suffer from loneliness. Keeping a rabbit alone in a hutch is a miserable existence since rabbits are happiest living in pairs or groups.
• Health - there are several common health problems that rabbit owners should be aware of. Most potential health problems can be avoided or treated if caught early. 
• Diet - 70% of a wild rabbit's time above ground is spent searching for high fiber food like grass, hay, plants, herbs and bark. Good quality hay should make up the majority of a domestic rabbit's diet and should be available at all times.

Here's how you can help spread the word about Rabbit Awareness Week:

• Visit the RWAF website.
• Like RWAF on Facebook.
• Blog about Rabbit Awareness Week and tweet the link or post to your facebook profile.

Let's help rabbits in the U.K. and all over the world by increasing awareness of basic bunny needs!

May Pawpawty

This weekend is the May pawpawty, and this month's theme is Super Heroes. Join the anipals as we save the world and make it better for mankind - and animals too!

This month, we will be supporting Young at Heart Pet Rescue, located in the Chicagoland area. Founded in 2005,  Young at Heart rescues and rehomes older dogs and cats - all of which were saved from open-admission shelters that have high kill rates for older pets.

Young at Heart is a volunteer-based organization with all dogs housed in foster homes and cats housed in a cageless adoption area. They receive no federal or state funding, and they rely solely on individual donations, fundraisers and grants to support their mission.

Pawpawty starts on Saturday, May 21 at 2p.m. EDT, and it runs for a full 24 hours so everyone can participate. As always, there will be lots of music, fun, games and prizes. So grab your tights - we'll see you there! You can RSVP using twtvite.

Save Lennox

via SaveLennox - Lennox is a five year-old American Bull cross and who was taken from his loving family in Belfast, Northern Ireland and locked up because of the way he looks.

As responsible dog owners that also foster for numerous dog shelters, his family had Lennox microchipped, neutered, DNA registered, pet safe registered, insured and licensed every year with the Belfast City Council without fail.

In May 2010, Lennox was taken from his family home by the Belfast City Council because they believe he falls under the Dangerous Dogs Act. The Council without seeking any proper professional guidance declared Lennox to be a "Pit Bull Type" dog, and they wish to kill him simply because he has the appearance of this breed.

Lennox has never attacked anyone or anything, yet the Council have removed him from his home where he lived with his owners, their 11 year-old daughter, a two year-old female boxer, and various foster dogs.

It has been a year since Lennox was removed from his home, yet the Belfast City Council continues to hold him in a small cell surrounded by sawdust for bedding and his own feces.

Thousands of people around the world have rallied to ask for Lennox' release. Here's what you can do to help:

• Sign the petition asking the Belfast City Council to release Lennox. 
• Like Save Lennox on Facebook. 
• Follow Save Lennox on Twitter. 
• Write about Lennox on your blog, tweet the link or post it to your Facebook profile.

Join thousands of others in asking the Belfast City Council to return Lennox to his family.

Cat People vs. Dog People

There seems to be a friendly (and sometimes not-so-friendly) competition between people who own cats and people who own dogs - so this article in Modern Dog magazine caught my attention.

Now just for the sake of full disclosure, I have been adopted by five cats (those of you who have cats will understand what I mean by that statement). But I have also owned many dogs throughout my life, so I guess you could say that I have a foot in both camps.

A survey done by the University of Texas at Austin showed that dog people - based on how people identified themselves, not by the animal they actually own - tend to be to be more social and outgoing, whereas cat people tend to be more neurotic but open (meaning creative, philosophical or nontraditional). 

Dog people scored significantly higher on extroversion, agreeableness and contentiousness, and this effect persisted regardless of gender of the respondent.

According to the Chinese Zodiac,  I was born in the Year of the Dog, and I possess many of the traits associated with a dog person (loyalty, honesty and trustworthiness). But if someone were to ask me if I am a cat person or a dog person (meaning which animal am I more like), I would have to say I am a cat. I am introverted, independent and not especially outgoing.

So I guess I find it somewhat harsh that in the first article a professor of psychology broke off his relationship with the woman he was seeing because she was a cat person and he was a dog person. Can't we all just get along?

And just for the sake of mixing it up even more, I also own a rabbit. I don't know if there have been any studies done regarding the personality of rabbit owners, but I sure would be interested in hearing your opinion.

Cats people vs. dogs people - natural enemies? You tell me.

Dog Bite Prevention Week

via AVMA.org - Last year, nearly 5 million people were bitten by dogs in the United States, and nearly a million people, more than half of them children, require medical attention for dog bites every year.

To help educate the public on how best to prevent dog bites, the AVMA is again teaming up with the American Academy of Pediatrics and the U.S. Postal Service to sponsor the 17th annual National Dog Bite Prevention Week, held this year from May 15-21.

There are a number of things that you can do to avoid dog bites, ranging from properly training and socializing your pet to educating your children on how, or if, they should approach a dog. Information is one of the best cures for this public health crisis.

What you as a dog owner can do:

• Carefully select your pet. Puppies should not be obtained on impulse. 
• Make sure your pet is socialized as a young puppy so it feels at ease around people and other animals. 
• Don't put your dog in a position where it feels threatened or teased. 
• Train your dog. The basic commands "sit," "stay," "no," and "come" help dogs understand what is expected of them and can be incorporated into fun activities that build a bond of trust between pets and people. 
• Walk and exercise your dog regularly to keep it healthy and provide mental stimulation. 
• Avoid highly excitable games like wrestling or tug-of-war. 
• Use a leash in public to ensure you are able to control your dog. 
• Keep your dog healthy. Have your dog vaccinated against rabies and preventable infectious diseases.
• Neuter your pet. 
• If you have a fenced yard, make sure the gates are secure.

For more information on preventing dog bites, visit the American Veterinary Medical Association’s website by clicking here.

Image:  Andreas März at Flickr

America's Favorite Animal Shelter

via Care2.com - Whether you are a dog and cat lover, animal rights advocate or community member, you can help your favorite animal shelter win $15,000 in the America’s Favorite Animal Shelter Contest sponsored by Care2, ASPCA and Adopt-a-Pet.

The more votes your shelter gets, the better your shelter’s chances of winning. This contest is a fun opportunity to rally community support for your favorite shelter, as well as a great way to win much-needed financial support in this difficult economy.

Here are four easy things you can do to help spread the word and get people to vote for your shelter:

• Send an email to your friends and networks asking them to vote for your shelter.
• Talk about the contest on your website, blog, Facebook and/or Twitter.
• Post a flyer at your animal shelter, school, local library, neighborhood coffee shop, or other local venues.
• Create a press release and send it to your local media outlets.

Twenty bloggers that blog about the contest will be chosen to have a $100 donation made in their name to their favorite animal shelter. If you have any questions regarding the contest, contact Care2 at animalsheltercontest@care2team.com.

Animal Testing Controversy Continues

 via TheRepublic.com - Every year, tens of millions of animals are used for biomedical research, chemical testing and training.

Federal reports show that nearly one million regulated animals, including dogs, cats, monkeys, apes, hamsters and rabbits were used in experiments in fiscal year ending September 2009. But at least 80 to 100 million unregulated animals - mostly rats and mice - are also used each year.

"I don't think many people have any idea of the vastness of the animal research field in this country," said Sue Leary, president of the American Anti-Vivisection Society.

Most, though not all, animals die during or soon after experiments either because that's the only way scientists can study the disease or injury, or because it's deemed inhumane to keep them alive.

Animal protectionists generally denounce the experiments as cruel and unjustified by the results.

"Acceptance of animal suffering is ingrained in how animals are thought of in the research field," said Kathleen Conlee, director of animal research issues for the Humane Society of the United States.

Proponents counter that animals have aided in almost every major advance in biology and medicine in the past century, and for the forseeable future.

"If you've ever had a vaccine, antibiotics, chemotherapy, joint replacement or bypass surgery, among many other therapies, you've been the beneficiary of animal research, " said Liz Hodge, communications director for the Foundation for Biomedical Research.

The one area of agreement between researchers and animal protectionists is that research and investment into alternatives to animal studies is accelerating. But most scientists insist the need to use some animals in research will remain for many years.

By Lee Bowman, science correspondent for Scripps Howard News Service

Monessen Cat Trapping Draws Protests

via Pittsburgh Post-Gazette - Last month, residents in Monessen, PA protested a city ordinance that allows free-roaming cats to be impounded and euthanized. The group called Coalition for a Humane Monessen calls the ordinance "inhumane" and wants the city council to consider alternative methods for managing the feral cat population.

The ordinance, which was amended in February 2011, eliminated the required 72 hour holding period and gave the animal control officer vast discretion as to whether the animal should be returned to its owner. If the animal is not returned to the owner, it is given to the Humane Society and "may be disposed of in a humane manner".

Trapping began in March 2011, and according to the city administrator, 34 cats have been caught and killed. Coalition members state that the trapping program began without prior notice, and a number of indoor/outdoor cats and feral cats who were spayed/neutered as part of a trap-neuter-return program (TNR) have been euthanized. 

The Fallen Timbers Shelter of Western PA Humane Society has refused to accept any more cats from Monessen and has offered to do a TNR seminar for city officials; however, that offer has not been accepted. The trapping policy is currently on hold until the city is able to find a shelter that is willing to accept the cats.

City officials have found an unlikely ally in the animal rights group People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA). PETA does support some TNR programs, but only in situations where the cats are kept in isolated areas and are regularly attended to by people who feed them and care for their medical needs. PETA is working with the city to find a shelter or veterinarian who is willing to euthanize the cats.

Image: Bob Donaldson/Post-Gazette

ALDF Wins Lawsuit to Free Tony the Tiger

via ALDF - This morning, a judge in East Baton Rouge District Court granted the Animal Legal Defense Fund’s (ALDF) request for a permanent injunction against the Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries, preventing the Department from renewing the annual permit that allows Michael Sandlin, owner of Grosse Tete’s Tiger Truck Stop, to display Tony, a ten-year-old Siberian-Bengal tiger.

When the current permit expires in December 2011, Sandlin will no longer be able to keep Tony confined as a roadside exhibit at the truck stop where he has languished for over a decade. The court also assessed costs against the Department in the case.

In preparation for the day the current permit expires and Tony is finally free, ALDF hopes to work with the Department to find the best possible new home for him, providing recommendations for reputable sanctuaries where Tony can live out his life in a peaceful, natural environment, free from the 24-hour exposure to noise and diesel fumes that have plagued his life to date.

“Today, the law was upheld in the state of Louisiana, which has explicit regulations designed to protect tigers like Tony,” says ALDF Executive Director Stephen Wells. “It is an incredible victory for ALDF, the tens of thousands around the world who have supported this campaign, and most of all, for Tony. We eagerly look forward to the day that he leaves behind the noise and fumes of the Tiger Truck Stop for a new life of freedom that he has never known.”

Dogfighting Game Returns to Android Market

via Change.org - Last week, Dog Wars, created by Kage Games LLC, was briefly removed from Google's Android Market because of a copyright infringement complaint. Over the weekend, the game was re-released under a new name KG Dogfighting. 

The name change doesn't affect the opinion of animal lovers across the US who believe the game promotes animal cruelty and perpetuates negative stereotypes about pit bull-type dogs. Thousands of people have a signed a petition on Change.org which calls for Google to remove the game from Android Market.

The game has also been condemned by major animal protection organizations, including the Humane Society of the United States, the ASPCA, and Best Friends Animal Society, as well as by many local rescue groups and law enforcement officials.

"Cruelty to innocent dogs should never be condoned, even in the cyber world of apps, let alone marketed as entertainment," says Ledy VanKavage, Senior Legislative Attorney at Best Friends Animal Society.

The Change.org petition has been widely endorsed by the pet blogging community. To date, over 20 different pet bloggers have called for the removal of the game from Android Market.

The game returned to Android Market just in time for Be Kind to Animals Week. The petition's creator, Robert Pregulman, says "We cannot let Google off the hook for promoting a game that glorifies the abuse and torture of dogs."

Please join me in signing this petition and sharing the link on your blog, facebook profile, and twitter.

You're My Hero

Our dogs are our champions, defenders, and our best friends. They are our brave workmates, K9 police officers, war dogs, friend to the soldier, foe to the enemy, or just one of our most beloved family members. In short, they are our heroes.

This week, Be the Change for Animals focuses on You're My Hero, a new inspirational book series in which everyday people write and share stories about their everyday heroes.  The latest book in the series is devoted to that most selfless of heroes: the dog.

Each of the stories in the book will be written by dog owners, family members, trainers, or those directly involved with the events depicted. They are astonishing stories of courage, unconditional love, loyalty, inspiration, sacrifice, sadness, and joy.

Each purchase of this book will also help support animal shelters throughout the country. Five dollars of the purchase price will be directed to The Shelter Project, a nationwide effort to help find shelter dogs a loving forever home. The funds will help thousands of canine shelters across the US with supplies, food, veterinary care, training, transportation needs, and adoption events

Here's how you can help support this project:

• Submit your hero dog's story
• Like You're My Hero on Facebook
• Follow You're My Hero on Twitter

Tell the world about your hero dog, and become a hero for thousands of shelter dogs too!

Be Kind to Animals Week

This week is American Humane Association's Be Kind to Animals Week. This event has been celebrated every year since 1915.  During this annual tradition, American Humane commemorates the role animals play in our lives, promotes ways to treat animals more humanely, and encourages others to do the same.

Be Kind to Animals Week is celebrated with shelter information and resources, special merchandise, and an annual Be Kind to Animals Kids Contest, which celebrates children who go above and beyond to create a better world for animals.

While Be Kind to Animals Week happens only once a year, you can be kind to animals everyday by doing the following:

• Speak out for animals - register to receive action alerts, and be an animal advocate.
• Report animal cruelty - learn the signs of animal cruelty, and let someone know if you see something suspicious.
• Appreciate wildlife - all animals deserve to be treated humanely. Look for ways to coexist with animals, and protect your property humanely. 
• Adopt a pet - every year, millions of animals are euthanized in shelters across the country. Help animals receive a second chance by adopting your next pet from a shelter or rescue. 
• Take care of your pet - more than half of pet owners see their pets as part of the family. That means providing them with proper care to ensure they live a long and healthy life. 

Help celebrate this tradition and encourage others to be kind to animals this week and every week!

Image courtesy of D. Sharon Pruitt