Katie in her foster home

A photo update of Katie, the deaf Great Dane pup who had severe injuries and was left for dead. She was rescued by West Hancock K9 Rescue, had surgery, and is now living with a Great Dane Rescue foster.

Circus Reality

Below is just some of the information out there about circus cruelty. Why do we find it amusing to watch an animal contort itself out of fear? This is specific to elephants, but all types of animals are mistreated. Please help put a stop to this by boycotting circuses with animals. Here is a list of animal-free circuses. >>

From Circuses.com:

Video footage taken between 2001 and 2006 of Ringling trainers and handlers shows that elephants were aggressively hooked, lame elephants were forced to perform and travel, and a trainer inflicted a bloody bullhook wound behind an elephant’s ear flap. Former Ringling employees that left the circus in 2006 and 2007 describe violent beatings as well as the routine abuse of elephants, horses, camels, and zebras.

At the Shrine Circus

The bullhook, by design, is intended to cause pain and puncture the skin. Despite its appearance, an elephant’s skin is as sensitive as humans’ skin. The sharp metal hook on the end of the bullhook bruises, punctures, and tears elephants’ skin easily and often. Former Ringling animal crew employees report that the circus keeps a bag of topsoil handy to cover up bloody bullhook wounds on elephants.

Ringling’s U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) inspection reports are riddled with serious citations of problems that directly impact animal welfare. In 2006 alone, the circus was cited three times for failure to provide adequate veterinary care to a disabled elephant, to an elephant with a large swelling on her rear leg, and to a camel with bloody wounds. Also in 2006, Ringling was cited for causing trauma, behavioral stress, physical harm, and discomfort to two young elephants who sustained cuts and abrasions when they ran amok in an arena in Puerto Rico; improper handling of dangerous animals; and an enclosure in disrepair.

In addition to being cited on inspection reports, Ringling has also been warned by the USDA for causing trauma and stress to two baby elephants who suffered painful rope lesions when they were prematurely pulled from their mothers and for improper euthanasia after a caged tiger was shot to death. Ringling also paid a $20,000 penalty to settle USDA charges of failing to provide veterinary care to a sick baby elephant who died shortly after he was forced to perform.

The USDA has noted on Ringling inspection reports that some of the circus’s elephants suffer from lameness, foot abscesses, and arthritis. At least eight of the 24 elephant deaths at Ringling since 1992 were attributable to either osteoarthritis or a chronic foot problem—a common problem in captive elephants caused by lack of space and forced inactivity. In a book titled The Elephant’s Foot, former Ringling veterinarian Gary West contributed a chapter about foot care. West wrote, “Foot-related conditions and arthritis are the leading cause of euthanasia in captive elephants in the United States.”

For more information and to take action, please click here. >>

Click here for a list of animal-free circuses. >>

Circus Protest

Kelly Miller Circus is coming to Glendale Heights next week, and we need your help to raise awareness about the cruelty and violence that go on behind the scenes. Many people don’t know that trainers use whips, bullhooks, electric prods, and other painful tools to force animals to perform confusing and unnatural tricks. It’s up to kind people like you to share this knowledge with others so that they, too, will boycott the circus.

Please take some time out of your day to speak up for animals who are abused in circuses. They do not have a voice, so we must use our voices to speak up for them.

What: Demonstrations against Kelly Miller Circus
When: Friday, September 5, 3:50 p.m. and 6:50 p.m.
Saturday, September 6, 1:20 p.m. and 4:50 p.m.
Where: Camera Park, 101 E. Fullerton Ave., Glendale Heights

If you have any questions about the demonstrations, please email UNoAbout-CircusAnimals@yahoo.com.

Be sure to check out Circuses.com for other ways you can help animals abused in the circus—from writing a letter to the editor of your local newspaper to sharing PETA’s online videos with your friends and family.

For all animals,
David Salisbury, Assistant Activist Liaison
People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals
DavidS@peta.org

Letter from former circus employee

This is a letter a former employee wrote - it is disturbing and I couldn’t even read it thoroughly. If you look up this woman’s name, she’s cited frequently on the internet with different groups.

My name is Courtenay Tosti (formerly Courtenay Warren). I worked at Carson & Barnes Circus C&B) during 1993 when I was 21 years old. The following is an account of what I witnessed while working at the circus.

Many of the people working at C&B were on the run from something they had done. I was warned to be careful when I joined as 2 workers had supposedly killed their wives, and were known to brutalize women. My boss, John “JB” Brooks, cursed at me constantly and frequently hit me.

The Millers, who own the circus, had various skins and skulls of deceased performing animals, including a tiger skin and a hippo skull, decorating their homes and offices.
Owners told me that I would be sorry if I ever told what I saw. Based on what I had heard and the tone used by my superiors, I felt as if they were threatening me with physical harm. When I stood crying as they dumped the body of Nelson, a Siberian tiger, into a trash bin Gary Byrd approached me and said that if I knew what was good for me I would keep quiet.

All of the animals were stressed out much of the time, and some of them got very aggressive. Margaret, the elephant, chased a man up a pole, tried on numerous occasions to karate-kick me as she would go past, and was always in trouble.

A member of the prop crew got too close to the tiger cage one night and a tiger grabbed the boys head with his paw and inflicted deep wounds. I saw the injured boy right after the attack, he was sitting on a chair, with his head between his knees, blood was pouring out of a couple of large holes in his head.

The owners and handlers knew how dangerous the animals were. However, that did not stop them from putting the animals near the spectators. Even certain elephants who were known to have killed people and were considered “insane” were not kept away from the public. It was very easy for the public to approach the elephants on the picket line from the rear, which startles them, and as I was in the security department I was frequently forced to make entire families leave the elephants area, where they would bring their children right up to the chained elephants to pet them, oblivious to how deadly this could be. If no one was watching closely people would often duck the useless barriers in front of the Cat Cages and approach the big cats, sometimes holding their children up for a better look.

I never saw a vet attend to any animals when they were on the road.

While having a difficult birth, a four-horned sheep was put into a hot trailer and left alone. She could be heard screaming but no one attended her, she died.

A wallaby had open, festering wounds and was not provided with vet care.

A horse, Rick, was allowed to eat moldy hay and died.

A Siberian tiger, Nelson, was ill, supposedly from pneumonia, and laid down in the chute as it was no longer able to stand. Several handlers stabbed at him with bullhooks to get him to move. He was not given vet care, and died soon thereafter. His body was picked up by a front-end loader and dumped in a trash bin. I was told that his skin would be kept.
A pygmy hippo, Katy, was not given water to lay in, and her back was cracked and bloody. I inquired about this and was told that a pygmy was not a ‘water hippo’, and that water only irritated her back. The hippo from the year before died at a young age.

Animals were often left out in the hot sun, the rain, and in extreme temperatures, sometimes below freezing. I saw Goliath, a white rhinoceros, huddled against the back of his cage trying to stay warm. I saw the zebra, standing head down, shivering in the snow.
The elephants were not allowed to cover themselves with mud or water because it would mess up the performers uniforms. Their skin was very dry and cracked, and would often bleed. If they attempted to throw water on their backs they were beaten.

The elephants were only fed hay and sweet feed, which caused them to suffer digestive problems, including diarrhea.

All of the elephant handlers went into the barn at winter quarters to blow torch the hair off the elephants, which could tear a performers uniform. They would close the doors but you could hear the elephants screaming, and smell the burning hair and skin. I later saw black marks on the elephants bodies. When I asked about it I was told it was from the blow-torching, but that it ‘didn’t hurt’.

It was well known that new handlers were taught to be mean and aggressive to the animals. When they were not mean enough, they were reprimanded, taken off animal duty, or fired. I witnessed one handler, Oakie Carrs son-in-law, harshly criticizing a new elephant handler for not being more aggressive with Bunny, the elephant in his charge.
I often saw camels being hit and one time I saw a handler, Reggie Lindsey, curse at a camel and whack it on its hind legs, with his bullhook.

The handlers took great pride in concocting newer and more violent torture devices. They would put nails and hooks into baseball bats. They would put larger hooks, the type used by firemen to tear open walls, into the creation of their bullhooks. Their devices put ordinary bullhooks to shame.

I observed one practice training session in the barn at the winter quarters. The trainer struck the elephants over and over, and called them filthy names. They were struck on their eyes and genital areas.

Elephants were constantly beaten every day. The handlers yanked and stabbed at them with the hook, and hit them with baseball bats. This was done because the elephants did not respond quickly enough to a command, because the elephants were doing something that annoyed the handlers, like playing with the picket line, and often for no apparent reason.

An elephant named Mona, reputedly crippled during her training, had severe back problems but continued to travel with the circus until she fell out of the trailer twice and was mortally injured.

Alta, one of the elephants Reggie Lindsey was in charge of, turned and ran out of the tent during the show, knocking cars out of her way. She was brought back and beaten severely by Lindsey. Lindsey often beat her, and she ran like this more than once.
Becky the elephant was forced to perform when she had a painful foot infection. She walked very slowly with a limp, and was struck and yelled at to get her to move more quickly.

Despite suffering from arthritis, Minnie was forced to do the routine called the long mount where all the elephants stand propped on each others backs in a row. Each time she did it she would wince, shake her head and scream in pain.

Margaret was an elephant who was often in trouble. In order to teach her a lesson, 6 or 7 elephant handlers surrounded her and began beating her ruthlessly as she was chained front and back legs. Some of them stabbed at her legs to keep her off balance while one beat her over the head with a baseball bat until she was bloody. She fell forward and started crying, shaking, urinating and defecating. It went on for several minutes.
Kay, a matriarchal elephant well into her fifties was very sick with kidney problems. She was forced to perform even though she was very ill. She died while the circus was performing in Taylorville, Ill. She was standing and since she was chained to the picket line, her body just tilted forward. All of the other elephants became hysterical and were screaming and trying to touch her and offer assistance, but they couldn’t move because they, too, were chained.

I have heard the animals agonizing cries for help go unanswered. I have heard the circus people lie to the public about how the animals are treated. I share this information in hopes that the public will understand the degree of immense pain and suffering, beatings and neglect, and illnesses and deaths that circus animals experience on a regular basis and refuse to support it.

Courtenay Tosti

Good News for Illinois Rescuers

On August 20, Governor Blagojevich signed IL HB 5076—a law that protects individuals who rescue or help animals during emergencies and disasters—into state law.

The legislation contains “Good Samaritan” provisions to protect rescuers, including veterinarians from being sued if they rescue or provide care for injured animals in emergencies or disasters. The need for such legislation was never seen more direly than in the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina. Eighteen states already have Good Samaritan provisions that protect individuals who rescue or help animals during emergencies or disasters.

“Many people said they were afraid to step in and help during the aftermath of Katrina, for fear of being sued,” said Ledy VanKavage, Senior Director of Legal Training and Legislation for the ASPCA. “As a result of this legislation, countless dedicated individuals across this region will not have to think twice about offering much-needed animal rescue assistance in the event of an emergency.”

Cat House!

This is so awesome. This is my dream come true. Really. Maybe some more dogs thrown in.

You can also check out the sanctuary website here >>

DANGEROUS DOG TOY ALERT

From the writer:

On Sunday, June 22, 2008 my 10-year old lab mix, Chai, sustained a severe injury from a product that the company Four Paws Inc, produces. The toy I’m referencing is the pimple ball with bell. (Item #20227-001, UPC Code 0 4566320227 9)

While chewing on the toy, a vacuum was created and it effectively sucked his tongue into the hole in the ball. From speaking with my vet, this likely occurred because there is not a second hole in the ball preventing the vacuum effect from happening. I became aware of this when Chai approached a friend at my home whimpering with the ball in his mouth. She tried unsuccessfully to remove the ball but the tongue had swollen and could not be released.

Chai was taken to the Animal Medical Center (an emergency care facility in New York City) and was treated by Dr. Nicole Spurlock to have the ball removed. Because the size of the opening on the ball was so small, all circulation to his tongue was cut off. The doctors had to sedate him in order to remove it. Once the ball was removed, his tongue swelled to the point that he could no longer put it in his mouth. Chai was sent home with care instructions and to be observed overnight for any changes.

(photo taken of ball after vet cut away portions in order to dislodge chai’s tongue)

By the following morning Chai’s tongue had swollen even more.

He was taken to his regular vet, Dr. Timnah Lee, for treatment. He was admitted and kept sedated for a period of three days during which time they were treating his wounds and waiting to determine how much of his tongue could be saved. On June 26, 2008 Chai had his tongue amputated.

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Please click here to read more of Chai’s story. There are also stories from other dogs’ owners, some of whom were less fortunate than Chai. This ball caused the death of one 5-year-old lab.

1,000 dogs rescued from mill

Remember: Everytime you buy from a pet store or some “breeders,” these dogs most likely came from a situation like this.

From the Humane Society of the United States:

This past weekend, The Humane Society of the United States led a massive rescue effort to free nearly 1,000 breeding dogs and puppies from one of the most prolific puppy mills in West Virginia.

Please watch our exclusive video that takes you inside the rescue of these hundreds of innocent victims from the deceptively named Whispering Oaks Kennel. Some of the dogs were as young as one day old. (The video can be viewed here. >>  https://secure.hsus.org/01/puppy_mill_rescue_wv/nK7NzbS5q5-GJ?source=gabhcu)

Our dedicated staff has set up an emergency shelter and will continue to work with local authorities and other animal protection organizations to provide the loving and medical care these dogs so desperately need. Placement of all dogs has already been coordinated, and they soon will be making their way to humane organizations to be placed in secure homes for the remainder of their lives.

This latest bust follows on the heels of other major successes in our fight against puppy mills. Just two months ago, our animal rescue team saved 750 animals from deplorable conditions at a Tennessee mill. Last November, we saved nearly 1,000 dogs from a southern Virginia mill. And our fight extends to the halls of state legislatures and the U.S. Congress, where we have curbed the worst puppy mill abuses in Louisiana and Virginia and have banned foreign puppy mill imports into the United States.

Tragically, hundreds of thousands of dogs still suffer at the hands of this industry that traps them in a dismal cycle of suffering. These are the animals our rescue teams are trained to save.

Another shining example of irresponsible breeders

West Hancock K9 Rescue has been dealing with random influxes of labradoodles. The person(s) responsible have yet to be uncovered. Here is the latest from Anissa:

I was almost done cleaning the pound when I got my 2nd call from the sheriff’s dept yesterday. There were 7 puppies dumped in the middle of nowhere and one was dead. I raced home, unloaded my kids, loaded up dog crates, food, blankets, slip leashes and a trash bag (aka body bag). I met Barb and we both flew to meet the caller who contacted the sheriffs dept and they took us to these pups…I was horrified to see these beautiful creatures staring back at me……wild and scared and almost starved to death. With the help of the 2 people that found them, we chased and corralled them until I could get close enough to grab them. Out of fear they were biting, pooping, peeing and screaming the whole way back to the crate in my truck.

We were down to the last labradoodle-looking one and we must have chased him for almost an hour. He finally went into this old hog house. When I got closer I realized it was full of old cow bones (lots of them). I went inside the dark, dirt-floored, shed with bones everywhere and Barb and the couple stood in the opening so he wouldn’t run out. I slowly crawled to him throwing the slip leash around his head and began dragging him out. The gentleman was able to drape a blanket over him and put him in the crate with the others.

Now, that is the “happy” part…the gut wrenching part is the dead puppy was nothing but fur now after clearly being eaten and after searching for the 6th black labradoodle puppy, blood was spotted splattered on the gravel near some feces and a small trail of blood lead to another spot where a couple of bones were found in the gravel. The 6th pup had been hit and then also eaten by his starved siblings.

The surviving puppies are extremely emaciated under all that fur. Barb and I took the survivors back to my already over-crowded pound where I had to pull another dog out of her run because we have no open runs and we carried the crates into the building setting them down and allowing them to come out in the pens on their own. I left one black poodle pup in the large crate, after all that if he didn’t want to come out of the crate, I wasn’t going to make him. I am heading back out there shortly to check on them…after 2 hours chasing them we all were exhausted, but extremely relieved this part was over.

I am not sure what we are going to do now. They are very unsocialized and in pretty bad shape.

We are going to look at running ads offering a reward for information leading to the arrest of the person/s that did this to them. I have had 19 adult labradoodles that have been dumped at this animal control and we have yet to uncover who is breeding these dogs at such a large number. What was done to these pups is criminal and we want justice for them and their siblings that didn’t survive. I am heading back out there shortly to check on them and calling my states attorney to meet with him.

Old picture

I found this old picture of Benny, my beagle, and me snuggling. I love this picture and it sums up our bond. Love!