I am a 3 year old 6 lb rescued hairy hairless Chinese Crested. I am fighting for the other animals that are in the situation I was in. Read more about me here.
There are more animals euthanized than people want to know.
Please support No Kill Shelters!

Thursday, October 20, 2011

‘TRUE BLOOD’ STAR LAUNCHES CAMPAIGN TO PROTECT CAPTIVE CHIMPANZEES

Kristin Bauer and Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine launch campaign on Change.org asking U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service to extend endangered species protections to captive chimpanzees.

WASHINGTON, DC – Actress Kristin Bauer, who plays Pam on HBO's True Blood, has launched a campaign on Change.org with the Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine urging the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service to protect captive chimpanzees.
Bauer’s online campaign asks the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service to extend the endangered species protections currently given to wild chimpanzees to captive chimpanzees used in experiments and the entertainment industry and kept as pets in United States.
“I’ve always been fascinated by the incredible intelligence and rich, complex social lives of chimpanzees,” said Bauer. “It would be shameful to see them go extinct in the wild as we continue to exploit them here in the U.S. in invasive experiments, entertainment and as pets.”
Bauer cites studies demonstrating that when people see chimpanzees used in commercials and interacting with humans in the media, they are more likely to believe that chimpanzees not only make good pets, but that they are not endangered in the wild.
“The Endangered Species Act should protect all chimpanzees, including those being used in laboratory experiments,” said John Pippin, M.D., F.A.C.C., of the Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine. “No other developed countries allow invasive research on chimpanzees because of ethical and scientific problems with such experiments. The U.S. must do more to protect humankind’s closest genetic relatives.”
Bauer’s campaign is likely to draw national attention to the lack of protections for captive chimpanzees. The actress is encouraging True Blood fans to sign her online petition campaign on Change.org, the world’s fastest-growing platform for social change.
“It’s really impressive to see Kristin Bauer rally her fans around giving chimpanzees a voice,” said Change.org Director of Organizing Stephanie Feldstein. “Through her campaign on Change.org, Kristin’s fans can take action on a cause that’s important to them. Change.org empowers anyone, anywhere to start a campaign on issues that matter to them, and it’s been incredible to watch this campaign take off.”
A proposal to extend protections to captive chimpanzees is currently under consideration by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. The public comment period for the proposal ends October 31.
Live signature totals from Kristin Bauer’s campaign:
http://www.change.org/petitions/us-fish-wildlife-service-protect-all-chimpanzees
Journalists interested in contacting U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service should try:

For more information on Kristin Bauer’s group, please visit:
http://www.pcrm.org/
Founded in 1985, the Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine is a nonprofit organization that promotes preventive medicine, conducts clinical research, and encourages higher standards for ethics and effectiveness in research.
For more information on Change.org, please visit:
http://www.change.org/about
Change.org is the world’s fastest-growing platform for social change — growing by more than 400,000 new members a month, and empowering millions of people to start, join, and win campaigns for social change in their community, city and country.

Friday, October 14, 2011

The Bag Kittens

This story is horrifying yet the outcome was amazing.  Their story needs to be told!  This is from the Raccoon Valley Animal Sanctuary and Rescue here in central Iowa.

Someone put 4 healthy, 3 week old kittens in an empty Meow Mix bag and threw them onto a Madison County road to be crushed by oncoming traffic. But for the nurturing instinct of a family dog, the horrific plan almost succeeded!

As a woman came home from work and pulled into her driveway, she noticed that her dog wasn’t acting normally, but was visibly upset and focused on what appeared to be a tattered bag of trash lying in the yard. No real surprise to her since the dog brings home "treasures" to her on a regular basis, welcome or not. But on this day, the dog’s refusal to move and an unfamiliar sound coming from what now could be identified as a discarded cat food bag triggered her to check out Reagan’s new "treasured" item. She soon discovered that the sound was the faint cries of a kitten. Without hesitation she reached down to look inside the bag, but was totally unprepared for what she was about to see.

The bag the kittens were placed in and tossed into the road!

Two tiny kittens, screaming and covered in the blood and gore of their crushed and maimed siblings, were thrashing about trying to get free from the viscera and out of the bag. Kelly quickly swooped up the two survivors and took them directly into her home to do what she could to provide some kind of care. As she bathed them, fed them and snuggled with them offering them comfort and reassurance that they were now safe, her empathy quickly turned to anger. Through her tears of rage, she struggled to find sense out of it all. 

What was painfully obvious to her was that these kittens were intentionally put in a bag and dumped on the road. It was also apparent that the bag had been run over and that at least two kittens, maybe more, had been crushed; and that her dog had retrieved the bag from the road and brought it up to the house for Kelly to find.  How two survived was the real mystery, but solving it was secondary to her natural nurturing instinct to feed, care for and love these two tiny remarkable survivors.

Over the next 12 hours, she maintained a constant vigil that included hourly examinations looking for any signs of internal injuries or complications and bottle feedings every 3-4 hours. Little did she know that while she was encouraged over the kittens’ progress, just how frustrated and disappointed she would become over what was about to occur.

 

Day Two...What kind of person...?

After an unsettled night with frequent feedings and worry, she faced the new day with little sleep and a yearning to understand how anyone could possibly do this to such innocent lives that were so precious and fragile. She also realized that her daily job was going to prevent her from feeding and caring for these babies on a frequent basis and so, she immediately began contacting shelters and rescues for assistance.

Would you believe that that woman’s pleas for help were unanswered or ignored by no less than five local animal rescue organizations? About to lose faith in humanity and wondering if, after all the trauma these surviving kittens had endured was it even possible to find the help they needed to live a full life, She come across one organization that actually listened to her story and offered to help.

 

Why Rescuing an Animal is More Than just taking them … somewhere else.

At Raccoon Valley Animal Sanctuary and Rescue, (RVAS), her call for help was one of 18 we had already received that day. Obviously, her needs were immediate and lives were at stake. We know that the first 10-12 weeks of a kitten’s life is extremely precarious and their fragile life systems can go from apparently healthy and eating well to sudden death within a very short period of time. Anyone experienced in kitten care knows how heartbreaking it is to lose one of these precious lives...and many rescuers refuse to take on these cases because they can't deal with the heartbreak of losing a life.

However, we didn’t take the time to debate the issue. Moving into emergency mode, our director made a few phone calls that quickly produced a foster and back up experienced in neo-natal and infant kitten care. Unfortunately, many people, including those who think of themselves as rescuers would have the story end with the kittens just being transferred to a foster home and eventually, hopefully, adopted. We have a different outlook on animal rescue, and as they say on TV…’but wait, there’s more’…we believe there is more to rescue than moving animals from one place to another.

We asked her if she would help us help her and the kittens by taking them to our Veterinary Health providers for their assessment and any treatment they may deem necessary.  She readily agreed and told us how University West Pet Hospital's staff greeted her and assessed the kittens’ condition immediately. She complimented both the staff and Dr. Martz, DVM for the gentle and kind care to such precious cargo. She felt secure leaving them in their hands, and knew that RVAS personnel would be picking them up, and that these little guys (we believe) will start a new life!

That is just the beginning of their story.  Follow their progress here.

Look at them now!

BagKItties

BagKittiesSkip 

BagKittiesSkip2

BagKittiesTipper

All pictures are ©Racoon Valley Animal Shelter & Rescue

Aren’t they cute?  Mom wants to adopt both of them but she has some serious talking into to do with dad first.

Their siblings weren’t saved, but they were.  Through the cruelness of one human being, the word is getting out about these 2. 

Raccoon Valley Animal Sanctuary and Rescue is a no kill shelter – our favorite kind!  Please think about donating to them to help out with the costs of these 2 beautiful kittens and to allow them to save other animals who need them.

You can also follow them on Facebook to keep up to date on these 2 little guys’ story.

See a list of all of their adoptable pets here.

Thank you Raccoon Valley Animal Sanctuary and Rescue for all you do for those animals that need saved!

African Lions Are Disappearing

(Reposted from an email mom received from IFAW - International Fund for Animal Welfare)

African lions are disappearing.

header_bigcats_disney
Since 1980, the population of African lions has dropped by nearly 50%. They've been eliminated from 78% of their historic range. And they face extinction throughout much of their habitat.
There are several causes of their disappearance, including loss of habitat, loss of prey, and the impact of disease -- but one particular cause is one you can help us reverse.
The Lion as Trophy
Trophy hunting of lions has more than doubled in the past decade.
The United States is, by far, the largest importer of lions and lion parts. A staggering 64% of lion and lion parts are imported to the US - lion skulls that sit on mantles, lion skins that hang from walls, and lion rugs spread out across floors - all with no consideration of the cruelty and unsustainability of these "trophies."
Clearly, the disappearance of the African lion has reached crisis status. But there is hope - one simple and significant act that can immediately reverse this march towards extinction.
Help Lions Make the List
Listing the African lion as Endangered under the US Endangered Species Act would generally ban the import of lions and lion parts into the US, and be crucial in helping reverse their steep and alarming decline.
IFAW has joined with several other leading non-profits to petition the US government to list the African lion as Endangered.
And now we need your help.
IFAW is collecting messages of support for this listing to be submitted to Secretary of the Interior, Kenneth Salazar.
Please send your message now (I have suggested some wording for you, but please feel free to add your personal and respectful comments).
Together we can end this disappearing act and restore this majestic species to savannas across Africa.

african_cats_dvd

A Special Offer from Disney.
Save $8 when you buy African Cats, and any other Disneynature Blu-ray Combo Pack.
This offer is good through November 14, 2011. Valid only in the U.S. & Canada. Void where prohibited, and cannot be combined with any other offer.

SIGN THE PETITION

freds-full-sig-mar09 fred1_approved_84x88
Fred O'Regan
IFAW President

p.s. You might think such a regal and charismatic species would be protected, but on the contrary, lions are only protected in 5% of their current range. Please act now to help us save Lions from cruel and unsustainable trophy hunting.

Wednesday, October 5, 2011

Animal News 10/5/12

332137_10150768298335551_702180550_20488124_1238499_o
Best Of Friends – Junie, Suki, and Damon
Let’s get going on some important stuff!  Animals that need saved, have been saved, or animals whose stories we can learn from!


Thursday, September 29, 2011

Someone Tell Mom I cannot Type On My Own

August-17 Really I can’t. She has been so busy, first it was getting settled into our new place after the fire.  Then the kids started school, then soccer started.  Really, no excuse.

There are animals that need to be saved.

Awareness that needs to be made.

How am I supposed to do that if she isn’t helping me.

I peaked over her shoulder today when she was telling someone about my blog.  She said that she truly needed to get going on it again because as much as she loves her personal blog, my blog serves a greater purpose.

I take it that means we are back to work.  Working for animals.

It’s about time people.

She added another addition.

Strangest cat I have ever met.

September10

Don’t let that innocent look fool you.

There was contemplation going on about how to get into the bird cages.

That my friends, was Elaina.

Why the past tense?  No, mom didn’t get rid of Elaina.

You see, mom went and picked out a kitty because she loves cats.  She specifically asked for a female cat.  She was worried about male cats spraying.  She had heard that is what they do.

210107_10150566825370551_702180550_18434481_5769133_oThat is what the little bundle of cuteness looked like when she came home.

Mom finally decided that Elaina needed spayed.  She thought she was surely in heat because she was acting so weird.

She took her over to the vet and dropped her off.  On the way back home her phone rang.  The vet just wanted to let mom know there wouldn’t be an extra charge for Elaina being in heat because …. get ready for it …..

Elaina was a boy.

6 months old and mom just now figures out Elaina is a boy.

Elaina got neutered.

Elaina is now Damon.

Mom loves the vampire diaries.

286911_10150820404850551_702180550_20929079_435278224_o (1)Poor little guy on the way home after finding out a) he’s a boy and b) mom has this thing about getting her pets spayed and obviously neutered.  

Sorry buddy, we don’t add to the pet population at this house.

Honestly, strange cat.  His best friends are 2 dogs (myself and Suki) and he LOVES showers.  Loves them.

If the water comes on, he’s jumping in with whoever is taking a shower.  He doesn’t care who, he just wants under the water.

And the vet said he hates other cats.

I think we’ll keep him.

Junie says to check out:

Wellness Kitten Health Cat Food
The only food mom will feed Damon.  I have to agree.

The difference in his coat since mom switched him over from Kitten Chow.

Amazing. He is the softest cat ever.

Sunday, April 17, 2011

Ecco Bella Earth Day

Mom originally posted this on her blog, but wanted to share it over here again because EcoBella is fabulous!  They truly care about the environment, about animals, about you!


Our countdown to
Earth Day
has reached the halfway mark.
Help keep the
momentum
going to 5,000.

     You are really amazing. Just two weeks into our Earth Day countdown and we’re already pushing 2,500 Likes on our Facebook page. Thanks so much to all you Intelligent Beauties, for showing how much you cherish our Mother Earth. Let’s keep the momentum going! Earth Day will be here before you know it, on April 22.

     As a champion of the environment, Ecco Bella would like to add more Earth-minded Intelligent Beauties to our Facebook page. As soon as we reach 5,000 Facebook "Likes", everyone on our mailing list will receive an email with a $10 Thank You coupon for Ecco Bella natural products. Just click on Facebook here and share us.
     Please also visit us at Ecco Bella. You'll discover some of nature’s best-kept beauty secrets.  And thank you for inspiring us to continue as an innovator in natural beauty, while looking out for you, animals and the planet.

From one Intelligent Beauty to another,
Sally Malanga, Founder
PS.  To help you get the most from natural products and your Ecco Bella experience, click here for your Free Beauty Consultation from our Natural Beauty Gurus. Or you can email us at producthelp@eccobella.com,  or call 877-696-2220 x 20. We love to talk!

I Am Back!

Junie Watching The Parade
Finally!  It's been a long time coming.  After the fire, mom had a laptop she was working from, but she hated working with the touch pad.  She didn't blog any more than the bare minimum.

All is better now.  Mom and Dad bought a mobile home that is over twice the size of the apartment we lived in and everyone is happy.  So happy, mom added a new addition.  She's a sucker for a little one who needs a home, but she said after this no more animals.  Someone is going to call animal hoarders. :)

She adopted Zuleica (who we call Suki).  Suki is a chihuahua mix and she's totally my BFF.  Love her!  We romp through the house with the greatest of ease.  We play all the time.  She's smaller than me and at first I was attempting to hump her to show her who was dominate, but she's not taking that so much anymore.  She kind of shows her teeth when I try to do it now.

Miss Suki - the regal one

Junie at the St Paddy's Day parade
Mom said she has lots of pictures of me to share but she'll only do one more today.  She said it's time to get back to animal awareness and I totally agree!  It's been way too long!  So, here is one last cute picture of me.
Junie in her new spot - under the budgies cage in the sun.
Now mom said she has to rewash the carpets.  Some of us are having problems holding it in our new house.  She gets out that noisy machine 3 or 4 times a day.  I'll blame the other 2 - even if she has caught me in the act.

Next post!  Animals who need our help!

Junie says to check out: