Lost Dog in Evanston

From Shier at Petraits:
Lucy (Petraits attached) is an extremely active, loving and timid one-year-old, 40-pound glossy chocolate brown Shar Pei-mix who was on a trial adoption in Evanston this week. Her owner-to-be has been in and out of the hosptial. Her family, friends and neighbors have been stepping in to help her with her new dog.

Unfortunately a young lady walking Lucy at 10:00 pm last night dropped the leash while scooping poop and Lucy took off on a joy run. She is not micro-chipped but she does have on a collar with a blue tag that says “Bob” and she is dragging her leash. An energetic girl, Lucy runs like the wind.

If you have seen Lucy or would like to help in the search, please call Debbie Kreuger at 847-362-3056 or e-mail kruegerd@speakeasy.net and/or Carol Judge at weluvpawsilrescue@yahoo.com or 773-544-2566.

Puppy Mills and Petland

Puppy mills are defined by the Humane Society of the United States (HSUS) as large scale operations that force breeder dogs to produce litter after litter to support consumer demand for puppies.

These dogs have little human companionship, little to no vet care, are kept in cages their entire lives, and when they are done breeding, they either dump them off or kill them. On top of the miserable lives these dogs live, they and their litters are often sick and/or have genetic disorders. Many of the puppies die young or end up with debilitating disorders at young ages. They suffer from malnutrition and loneliness. They are also not correctly socialized and end up with behavioral issues.

Puppies sold in pet stores or through Internet sites often come from puppy mills. If you are looking for a dog, there are shelters and rescues everywhere, including breed-specific rescues, and there are responsible breeders (though I personally feel we already have too many homeless animals to be creating more).

In November, the HSUS announced the results of an 8-month investigation into Petland, Inc. They are the largest chain of puppy-selling stores in the US, and the results showed they not only supported puppy mills, but also told customers the dogs come from good breeders.

One of puppy mill’s Petland supports.

HSUS reports:

There are approximately 140 Petland stores in the U.S., selling tens of thousands of puppies each year. In the largest ever puppy mill investigation, HSUS investigators visited 21 Petland stores and 35 breeders and brokers who sold puppies to Petland stores. Investigators also reviewed interstate import records of an additional 322 breeders, USDA reports and more than 17,000 individual puppies linked to Petland stores.

According to Stephanie Shain, director of The HSUS Stop Puppy Mills Campaign, “Petland is perpetuating the abusive puppy mill industry, where dogs are treated not like pets, but like a cash crop. They know that consumers won’t stand for the cruelty inherent in mass-breeding facilities, so they make outrageous claims to hide the reality that the dogs came from puppy mills. People have a right to know exactly what they are buying, but the real victims are the breeding dogs who are confined to life in a cage for as long as people are duped into buying their puppies.”

• Despite assurances by Petland staff and on their corporate website that the company knows its breeders and deals only with those who have “the highest standards of pet care,” many Petland puppies come from massive commercial breeders in Missouri and other Midwestern states, where hundreds of breeding dogs are packed into cramped, barren cages—often for their entire lives, with no socialization, exercise, or human interaction.
• When HSUS investigators visited 35 of the large-scale breeding operations linked to Petland stores, they witnessed puppy mills where puppies are factory-farmed in large numbers. At many, investigators saw appalling conditions: puppies living in filthy, barren cages reeking of urine, with inadequate care and socialization.
• Many of Petland’s puppies are not supplied directly by breeders but are purchased from a “middle man”—large-scale “pet distributors,” otherwise known as brokers—showing that the company may not even know who the breeders are or what their standards of care may be like. The investigation revealed that some of Petland’s brokers are also buying from puppy mills.
• Some of Petland’s puppies are ordered online via a pet auction website called the Pet Board of Trade—demonstrating that many Petland stores are not screening breeders as the company’s website claims. In fact, in some cases it may not even know the breeder’s name until after purchase.
• One of the most common sales pitches made by Petland staff is that the company uses “USDA licensed” breeders. However, investigators reviewed publicly available state and USDA inspection reports for more than 100 Petland breeders and found more than 60 percent of the reports listed serious violations of basic animal care regulations. Many USDA breeders exhibit a long history of substandard care and yet remained licensed. While USDA regulations are minimal, some of the Petland breeders are not even complying with these basic animal welfare standards.
• Documented USDA violations at some of Petland’s breeders and suppliers included dirty, unkempt enclosures; inadequate shelter from the cold; dogs kept in too small cages; and inadequate veterinary care. Some of the breeders were found with sick or dead dogs in their cages.

Puppy mills are a source of unbearable cruelty where breeding animals are kept in tiny cages without any socialization for the sole purpose of supplying pet stores and the Internet market with puppies. The HSUS urges all of its members and supporters to spread the word about the great suffering associated with these mills, which also contribute to tragic pet overpopulation.

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Following this, I will post some of the HSUS’s tips on adopting from an animal shelter, and on finding a good breeder. Shelters are full of healthy animals of every size, age and breed. There are purebreds too. People buy/adopt animals and then give them up for many reasons, and most often not because it’s a “bad” animal. Many owners simply had no idea the amount of responsibility, time, and money a pet takes, and don’t want to or can’t deal with it. Currently there is an an influx of animals in the shelters because of the economy and foreclosures.

Go here for more information and to send an email to Petland. http://humanesociety.org/stoppuppymills

Puppy mills and what you can do

From the HSUS. Please see links below.

A Life Behind Bars

The life of a puppy mill dog who is used for “breeding stock” is particularly shocking and sad. These dogs receive little or no veterinary care and never see a bed, a treat or a toy. Breeding animals are commonly killed after their fertility wanes, or they’re abandoned or sold to another mill. The annual result of all this breeding is an estimated two to four million puppies, many with behavior and/or health problems.

There are thousands of stories to be told from those who have suffered because of puppy mills. The HSUS has compiled both heartbreaking and hopeful stories from dog owners whose dogs either suffered at puppy mills or were born at one.

Cruel and deplorable places puppy mills continue to thrive because they prey on unwitting consumers who are smitten by too-cute-for-words puppies in pet store windows and on fancy websites.
Behind the friendly facade of the local pet shop, the pastoral scenes on a website, or the neighborhood newspaper ad, there often lies a puppy mill.

What you can do:

http://www.stoppuppymills.org/what_you_can_do.html

Puppy mills FAQs:

http://www.stoppuppymills.org/frequently_asked_questions.html

Survivor stories:

http://www.stoppuppymills.org/survivor_stories.html

How to find a good breeder:

http://www.hsus.org/pets/pet_adoption_information/how_to_find_a_good_dog_breeder/

Adopting from a shelter

From the HSUS:
Animal shelters are your best source when looking for a pet. Not only do they have a great selection of adult animals for adoption, but they also have kittens and puppies, even purebred animals. On average, purebreds account for about 25 to 30 percent of a shelter’s dog population.

Many pets at your local shelter are waiting for new homes because they were obtained by someone with unrealistic expectations of the time, effort, and money required to sustain a lifelong relationship with their pet. National figures indicate that about half of the animals in shelters must be euthanized for lack of homes. Animals at your local shelter are eager to find a new home and are just waiting for someone like you.

You can depend on responsible shelters to assess the animals’ health and temperament in order to make the best adoption matches possible. When animals are relinquished by owners, the shelter staff makes every attempt to collect a thorough history of that pet. Then, while caring for animals, staff and volunteers try to learn as much as they can about these animals as well as those who come to the shelter as strays.

Don’t be discouraged if, when you first visit the shelter, there are no animals of the breed or type you want. Shelters receive new animals every day. Your shelter may also have a waiting list and can call you when an animal matching your preference becomes available. Before choosing your pet, you can even speak with an adoption counselor about whether your choice of a particular type or breed will be best for you.

In an effort to make good matches between people and animals and to place pets in lifelong homes, many shelters provide adoption counseling and follow-up assistance, such as pet parenting and dog-training classes, medical services, and behavior counseling. Or they may be able to refer you to providers of these services.

Another advantage is that shelter adoption fees are usually much less than an animal’s purchase price at a pet store or breeder. And your new pet is more likely to be vaccinated, dewormed, and spayed or neutered. To locate your local animal shelter, check the Yellow Pages under “animal shelter,” “animal control,” or “humane society.”

Many shelters have websites on which they display the animals they have available for adoption. Some sites allow you to download adoption forms and read about responsible pet care. A growing number of shelters also promote their web sites, and the animals they have for adoption, on sites such as Pets 911, Petfinder, and Adoptapet.com.

Humane Society’s top 5 tips to finding the right puppy

The first step on the road to pet ownership is to ask yourself some tough questions: Why do you want a puppy? Can you afford one? Are you prepared to take care of a dog every day for his entire life?

If you’ve decided you’re ready for a dog, follow The HSUS’s top five puppy buying tips and you’ll be far more likely to secure a healthy, well-socialized dog who doesn’t drain your emotions or your pocketbook. One, in other words, who doesn’t come from a puppy mill.

1. Consider adoption. Adopting a dog instead of buying one is the surest way to strike a blow against puppy mills. To find the perfect match, you’ll want to choose the right one for you and your lifestyle. Animal shelters have dozens of dogs, many of them purebreds, just waiting for homes. There are also breed specific rescue groups for every breed of dog, including “designer” or “hybrids” like Labradoodles and Puggles. Mixed-breed dogs also make wonderful pets.

2. Find a responsible breeder and visit their premises. Responsible breeders provide a loving and healthy environment for their canine companions, but don’t take their word for it. Never buy a puppy without seeing where they and their parents are raised and housed with your own eyes. Download our Find a Good Dog Breeder checklist [PDF] »

3. Don’t be fooled by common claims made by pet stores when pushing their puppies. Despite what they may tell you, pet stores do sell puppy mill puppies. Read more about the false claims commonly made by pet stores at the Pet Store Doublespeak page »

4. Don’t be swayed by a great website or ad. Just because a website says great things about their “home raised” or “family raised” puppies doesn’t make it true. Many puppy millers pose as small family breeders online and in newspaper and magazine ads. Read about dog lovers who were fooled by “breeder” ads and pet store claims at the Survivor Stories page »

5. Avoid the temptation to “rescue” a puppy mill puppy by buying him. Even though your intentions may be good, don’t buy a puppy with the idea that you are “rescuing” him or her. Your “rescue” opens up space for another poor puppy mill puppy and puts money into the pockets of the puppy mill. Pet stores won’t leave their cages empty and websites won’t leave their pages blank. The money you spend on your puppy goes right back to the puppy mill operator and ensures they can continue breeding and treating dogs inhumanely. If you see someone keeping puppies in poor conditions, alert your local animal control authorities instead of buying. Read more about the cruelty documented at puppy mills at the USDA Hall of Shame page »

Artists and their Pets in 20th-Centurty Art

Cool exhibit coming up at the Art Institute of Chicago.

January 7, 2009–March 16, 2008
Ryerson and Burnham Libraries

Their website says:

…The history of art also reveals a number of artists who had animal companions of their own. In his autobiography, Renaissance sculptor Benvenuto Cellini mentions Barucco, a “shaggy dog, big and handsome,” while Caravaggio is recorded as having gone about Baroque Rome with a black poodle called Cornacchia. Many modern artists have also documented their pets in their work. For some, like Frida Kahlo, they are beloved friends; for others, like Pablo Picasso, convenient models. Some of these animals have become pop culture icons in their own right, like the Blue Dog; others, like Pierre Bonnard’s dachshunds, sit quietly in the background.

This exhibition in the Reading Room of the Ryerson Library highlights several books from the collection that feature artists and the animals that have inspired them. Please note that the exhibition is closed on Sundays.

Injured dogs need help

WARNING: GRAPHIC IMAGE BELOW (and by the way, this happens more often than you may realize…)

From West Hancock K9Rescue:
I got a call from my Animal Control Officer this afternoon about a lab girl needing rescued because she was over her days and no one claimed her. When I got her out of her kennel to get pictures I immediately realized something was wrong…OMG HER NECK! I called my ACO right away and raced her to my vets office. We spent almost an hour getting her collars removed and cleaning up her massive wound. She quietly laid there on the table not moving once, she is incredibly sweet!! She had one of those rhinestone puppy collars on that was never removed as she grew. This is stupidity at its best and we have no owner to hold accountable! She will make a full recovery but with scaring. Fortunately she is heartworm negative, unfortunately she is very pregnant. I am hoping to get lab rescue to take her in. Between her and the beagle girl (with the inguinal hernia which held her uterus), I have incurred several hundreds of dollars in vet bills this week alone. If anyone is able to help, I would be very grateful. You can contact my vet’s office directly at 217-847-3911, just make sure to have them mail you a receipt so you can use it on your taxes next year.

Thank you very much,
Anissa
West Hancock K9 Rescue

Engineering students help disabled dogs

Exoskeleton helps disabled dogs to walk

* Jenna Emenhiser

From WLFI.com

WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. (WLFI) - One Purdue engineering class’ senior project has gone to the dogs.

Students in John Nolfi’s mechanical engineering class designed an exoskeleton for dogs with hip dysphasia. The condition occurs when a dog’s leg and hipbones do not meet properly. The exoskeleton works as a joint outside the body to carry some of the load the real joint can’t handle. The carbon composite brace conforms to the shape of the dog and has been shown to improve mobility up to 55 percent.

Senior Jim Bergeron hopes it will improve the lives of dogs. “The dog will kind of step gingerly on it, and then, what we’re hoping to see is, when we put the brace on that she’ll just be walking around like a normal, happy dog,” he said. “I hate looking at the dog here and seeing her in pain, you know, it breaks my heart and so it’s going to be fantastic actually if it works so, we’re really hoping it will.”

Veterinary Surgeon Gert Breuer says they are in the early stages of testing, but if further testing is positive they hope to be able to market the device.

Help save Cornelius!

From Puppy Love-Love Cats:

We are trying to educate people that “animals” are lives. They feel pain and sorrow just as much as their wagging tails and snuggly purrs show that they feel happiness and contentment.

Cornelius is a very loving, beautiful Russian Blue, male cat (pictured above playing with his brother Jonny). He is 10 years old. His “family” IS GOING TO EUTHANIZE HIM because he has cystitis. Cystitis is an inflammation of the bladder. Once or twice a year it flares up and he will urinate outside of the litter box. Instead of helping their poor little sweetheart, they are denying vet care and have decided that they are just tired of it. While there is no real cure, there are definitely things that can be done as preventative measures. Things that his “family” doesn’t care enough to even try. Cornelius would need to permanently be kept on a wet-food-only diet, which has less minerals (ash) than dry food. That usually does the trick. If it does flare, anti-biotics will clear it up. Environmental stress is a factor that can bring about cystitis, so Cornelius would need a stable home.

A few people have said to me that he’s 10, so why waste my time with him? My own childhood kitty lived to be 20! Corny still has many good, fun, happy years left in him! Why is his life less meaningful because he’s not a kitten? He is a living, breathing, sleeping, snoring LIFE and a life deserving to live.

My rescue is a small rescue. I do not have a place to put Cornelius. What I’m looking for, asking for, hoping for, is someone to either adopt him or at least foster him until his true Forever Family can be found. I will have him fully vetted with a complete blood panel. No medical expenses will ever need to be paid by a foster home (unless the home would like to consider it a donation). There is not much time because his “family” is having a Christmas Party soon and want to euthanize him before then. I cannot take him unless I have a safe place for him. Please open your heart to sweet Cornelius!

And please CROSSPOST this like crazy!

If you can help, please email info@puppylove-lovecats.org.

Linda Schifferdecker
President

Dogs in need

This friendly and playful boxer/lab mix is located at the Ft. Madison, IOWA animal control and WILL BE EUTHANIZIED on Friday 12-12. Please contact either ausiersq@dstream.net or westhancockk9@mchsi.com if you can help save her. Transport is available for her to the Chicago area.

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This girl came to Henderson County animal control stray and has been transferred to me for vet care. She has a seriously large inguinal hernia that is getting repair right now as I am typing this. We thought at first it might be a tumor/mass when I first posted her. She also have several infected teeth that they are working on too as well as spaying her. I am in great need of funds for her to help cover the cost of her surgery. If you can help donate even $5 would go a long way. She is a great girl who loves everyone, please help her if you can. You can call the vet directly at 217-847-3911 and make a donation over the phone, be sure to give them your mailing address so you can get a receipt since we are a 501c3 you can use it on your taxes next year. Thank you!