A Chastity belt for dogs? What the Heck?

Ok, a friend sent me the link on this article.



There is a man who has developed a Chastity Belt for dogs. The female wears it while in heat, much like a maxi pad that leaks for dogs and prevents pregnancy in the process. UH.... HELLO!!!??? This defeats the purpose of spaying and neutering and give people just one more excuse to not do the right thing and spay or neuter their pets. He claims as posted below, that he is all for spaying ad neutering however.....

"I'm all for neutering and spaying," says Dexter Blanch. "But in some cases, it is a health risk for the dog. In other cases, the pet owner is squeamish about putting the dog through surgery. And then there are people who plan one day to breed their pet."

""The Pet Anti Breeding System – or PABS, as he calls it – a polypropylene belt with an eight-buckle locking system and a washable mesh pad for female dogs.
The device allows the pooch to do all its natural bodily functions, except one, of course.
The PABS slogan: "When the heat is on, lock it, and stop it."
"The dogs can urinate and defecate," Blanch says. "But they can't copulate or impregnate."
Amorous canines won't get hurt trying to penetrate the PABS sheathing, Blanch claims. "

This gives people just one more out as far as I am concerned. He talks about the fact that it would have to be washed out regulary as it is made of a mesh material that allows bodily functions to happen just fine, like urination etc. But it doesn't say it will keep the blood spotting off of your floors or furniture. And as a dog is usually in heat up to 21 days at a time, twice a year, washing this thing out daily so it doesn't smell, and hopefully for the fabric to last some is simply just, well, YUCK! Why would I want to wash my dog and her "underthings" everyday?

Ok, enough of the YUCK factor. Now to the part that counts..... Being in season is very very stressful for the female and the male. They will try to mate regardless of what is there in the way, and they are so focused on the heat cycle, they will attempt it over and over and it puts way too much stress on the heart and body systems. Male dogs become agressive and will fight, females get no rest, etc. This not only causes veterinary bills, but you are in fact shortening your pet's lifespan. Trust me, the truly are much happier and healthier fixed than not.  Spaying and Neutering your pet does give them a longer and happier life.

Now, did anyone find his idea ludicrous?  I only hope someone doesn't come up with this idea for cats! Cats barely tolerate one either dressing them or doing much of anything to them. Can you just imagine the amount of pain involved with trying to put this device on a cat? I forsee sutures in one's future who attempts this. (just picturing it has me rolling on the floor laughing!)

The "Link" (The correlation between Domestic Violence and Animal Abuse)

Ok, so I no sooner post the last one about animal hoarding, and my brother turns me on to a local news broadcast about the "Link", the link between people who abuse their partner or family will also usually be an animal abuser. Apparently the article linked it to it being an ongoing problem in NM.

So being the person I am, I researched it more. It isn't just in NM it is worldwide. The ASPCA has information on it,  and this is an excerpt of what they have to say:

"In recent years, a strong connection has been documented linking animal abuse and domestic violence. A New Jersey study found that in 88 percent of families where there had been physical abuse of children, there were also records of animal abuse. In Wisconsin, battered women revealed that in four out of five cases, abusive partners had also been violent toward pets or livestock. The National Coalition Against Domestic Violence conducted its own study in which 85.4 percent of women and 63.0 percent of children reported incidents of pet abuse after arriving at domestic violence shelters. The Chicago Police Department's Domestic Violence Program took a look at the criminal histories of animal fighting/animal abuse arrestees for 2000-2001 and found that approximately 30 percent had domestic violence charges on their records. There is legitimate evidence that the individuals involved in violent acts against animals present a danger to the public that must be addressed. Intentional animal abuse is often seen in association with other serious crimes including drug offenses, gang activity, weapons violations, sexual assault and domestic violence—and can be one of the most visible parts of an entire history of aggressive or antisocial behavior."

Another article from The American Humane organization's  site:

Why it Matters

• 71% of pet-owning women entering women’s shelters reported that their batterer had injured, maimed, killed or threatened family pets for revenge or to psychologically control victims; 32% reported their children had hurt or killed animals. 


• 68% of battered women reported violence towards their animals. 87% of these incidents occurred in the presence of the women, and 75% in the presence of the children, to psychologically control and coerce them.


• 13% of intentional animal abuse cases involve domestic violence. 


• Between 25% and 40% of battered women are unable to escape abusive situations because they worry about what will happen to their pets or livestock should they leave.


• Pets may suffer unexplained injuries, health problems, permanent disabilities at the hands of abusers, or disappear from home. 


• Abusers kill, harm, or threaten children’s pets to coerce them into sexual abuse or to force them to remain silent about abuse. Disturbed children kill or harm animals to emulate their parents’ conduct, to prevent the abuser from killing the pet, or to take out their aggressions on another victim.


• In one study, 70% of animal abusers also had records for other crimes. Domestic violence victims whose animals were abused saw the animal cruelty as one more violent episode in a long history of indiscriminate violence aimed at them and their vulnerability. 


• Investigation of animal abuse is often the first point of social services intervention for a family in trouble.


• For many battered women, pets are sources of comfort providing strong emotional support: 98% of Americans consider pets to be companions or members of the family. 


• Animal cruelty problems are people problems. When animals are abused, people are at risk. 

And the Canadian Federation of Humane Societies has information on this problem also.

Ok, this is something that perhaps struck too close to home for me. It brought back memories of why my first marriage failed. And I am so very happy I had the fortitude to "wake up" when I did and stick to my guns to divorce him. Yes, he was an abuser. Not so much physically to me, the abuse directed towards me was all emotional and mental, but he did physically torment and tease the animals. That in and of itself is abuse. Strong ties there.

So, now some facts why this is so on the issue:

• People who abuse animals are often responsible for family violence

• Children who abuse pets tend to be victims too, or have been exposed to abuse and learn to behave aggressively toward other people and animals

• Animal abusers are five times more likely to commit violent crimes against people (Study done by the Massachusetts Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animal, 1997)

• Nearly all animal abusers have been victims of abuse or exposed to abuse as a child

• Animal abuse and human violence are inseparable and if they are not addressed as an interconnected cycle of violence it will only continue to poison our society from generation to generation


• To create an environment which intimidates and terrorizes their victims

• To demonstrate power over the family

• To use the pet as a warning to family members that “Next time it could be you”

• To punish victims for acts of independence and self-determination: such as leaving

• To prevent the victim from leaving or coerce her to return by threatening the pet’s well being

• To degrade the victim and/or shift the responsibility of abuse through involvement in abuse

• To force the family to keep violence a secret

• To eliminate competition for attention


• To enforce submission


• To perpetuate an environment of fear


• To prevent the victim from leaving or coerce her to return


• To punish for leaving or showing independence

So, what can we do?

• Learn about the human/animal violence connection

• Talking to your friends and colleagues about the connection between animal abuse and family violence may help to encourage people to report any suspected abuse. Someone who suspects domestic violence but is too afraid to get involved may be more comfortable reporting animal abuse.

• Emergencies -911


• Report less urgent matters – Police line


• Report Animal Abuse to a humane society/SPCA


• Report suspected child abuse and neglect to Family and Children’s Services

• Be a positive role model to children.

• Teach empathy to children.

• Learn the signs of abuse and what to do if you suspect someone you know is being abused. Click here to learn how to recognize the signs.

• If you know someone who wants to escape a violent relationship, offer a safe place for an animal to stay (ensure that the abuser will not be able to find the animal- this is to protect yourself, the victim and the animals)

What Can Law Enforcement Do?

It is imperative that first responders understand the connection between animal abuse and family violence. When responding to domestic calls it is imperative to be alert for signs that children and/or pets might be victimized. Children may be more willing to discuss what has happened to a pet than their own victimization.

And not staying silent on the issue of abuse of any form. You may not want to be "involved" but you are already by being a witness to it. How would you feel if the abuser decided to kill his family and pets and no one reported the abuses they saw because they were afraid to be "involved"? In the old days it was a shameful thing and abuse was never ever talked about. Society is different today, report it. Only by reporting and caring can we bring about the much needed education, changes, and help for the battered and the batterer.

Animal Hoarding? More than you can handle?

   So this morning while checking the news and what's new on some of the sites I follow or network on, I came across this forum post on another social network site I belong to for animal owners in our area.

Apparently there is a filming company here or wishing to find people here who are possible animal hoarders or may have too many pets.  This was her post:

Some brand them as “animal hoarders.” We want to get to know them as people. We want to experience the special relation they have with their pets and understand why they do what they do. We also recognize that trying to care for too many animals can sometimes be overwhelming. There can be financial burdens, health issues, family conflicts, even the run-ins with authorities. We want to see how animal lovers - and their families - deal with these challenges.

We also want to offer help. We have the resources to provide free veterinary care, therapy, spaying and neutering, even food if required. We will not force anyone to do anything they don’t want to do. We will not report anyone to any authorities. If help is needed, we want to find solutions that work for everybody.

Our goal as TV producers is to tell true stories about people who are often misunderstood – and if we can, to address issues that are too often ignored. To learn more, contact us at realstories@petfamily.org – or call us at our toll free number: 1-877-MY8-PETS.

There are two sites associated with this post or person: Petfamily.org  and The Animal Hoarding Project Both are associated with the same group who produce Intervention. However, the woman assure one poster that this was to be a different situation than Intervention. They wish to genuinely help the people who agree to be filmed.

I and a couple others see potential problems here. Animal Hoarding is a crime in NM, it is considered neglect and abuse. While it is recognized as a probable illness in the person doing the hoarding, it doesn't make it any less of a crime. We wonder if perhaps producing this show could lead to law enforcement removing the animals and charging the person etc.  This could open a whole can of worms unless they can guarantee anonymity of the people being filmed.

In my humble opinion,  I do think perhaps more attention should be drawn to this matter, I am not entirely sure exposing people in your community to Reality TV is the way to go about it.  Not everyone who has an excess of pets are hoarders. Some really do provide the needed veterinary care and cleanliness for the animals in their care.  So perhaps you know someone who might fall under the hoarder status, or are in denial about the abundance of pets in their home, and they often say things like, "If I don't care for them, they'll end up at the shelter and be euthanized."  Hoarding is a mental disorder, and it does get worse over time.

Pet Abuse.Com gives this definition on Hoarding (aka Collecting):

"Animal hoarding, sometimes referred to as "collecting", continues to struggle with public misconceptions. Members of the community and even law enforcement often view hoarders to be "someone who meant well but the situation got out of hand," conjuring images of the sweet cat lady down the street.

While their intentions may indeed have been good, the reality of hoarding is far from sweet, and is often quite horrific. Hoarders often have hundreds of animals in their home, living in filth and without veterinary care. It is not uncommon to discover several hundred animals in various states of neglect at one location. It is also very common to find vast collections of other junk and garbage on the premises, as well as many layers of feces throughout the home.

In the majority of hoarding cases, the hoarder firmly believes not only that they have done nothing wrong, but that the animals cannot survive without their "care". In many instances, hoarders will even be reluctant to relinquish the decomposing corpses of animals that died. Dead animals are frequently found in the freezer or refrigerator, or even laying around the house, embedded in the carpeting, etc. At times, dead animals have been left in the home so long that they have become mummified.

Hoarders may feel that they "love" animals, but they can be blind to the fact that they are not caring for them responsibly even in the face of starvation and death. Hoarders are usually unable to bear the thought of euthanasia, but vast numbers of animals are "saved" only to languish in a squalid, crowded environment where they suffer from

Living and working with WILD Animals

AP photo

After last week's devastating and shocking death of a whale trainer at Sea World Orlando, and all the analyst's reasonings etc. I had to post something about it.

An article on MSNBC quotes this: "Humans trying to incarcerate orcas or elephants or any type of large brain or large society species, it's proven it doesn't work," said Mark Berman, associate director at the environmental group Earth Island Institute in Berkeley, Calif. "They're just too big." No animals were meant to entertain humans, he said.

And another quote from someone else in the article:  Former SeaWorld head trainer Thad Lacinak says captive killer whales serve as ambassadors of the species to educate the public and help protect them in the wild. "These animals are invaluable in terms of what we can learn from them. And you cannot learn about killer whales through a pair of binoculars," Lacinak said.

Using killer whales to perform, or displaying animals at zoos, brings them to life for the public, he said, something that watching the Discovery Channel just can't do.

"We know for a fact that people do not learn in static conditions. They learn from these animals when they are entertained by them," Lacinak said. "That's just how people learn. They don't learn when they're bored ... They have a greater appreciation of the animals when they walk out." Lacinak also stated the obvious — that trainers know their jobs are inherently dangerous but take the risks because they believe they're outweighed by the rewards.

Ok, while the article relates this to other wild animals that are kept in captivity, like elephants, tigers, etc., they don't bring up the main point here. HELLO!!!!! THEY ARE WILD ANIMALS!  They were not meant to be companion animals like dogs and cats. They were not meant to be domesticated to the extent that you can trust them with your life. They still have all of their bred in WILD INSTINCTS!

They knew when they bought this animal that he had two deaths attributed to him. They knew they should always work around him with caution, but instead the trainer let her guard down and became complacent. And the whale knew it! Whales and dolphins like many other wild species KNOW when to take advantage or injure us. And I am not saying her death wasn't tragic in any way. But the fact is, she became complacent, she knew what she was dealing with. And my condolences and heart go out to her family.

Perhaps keeping an animal in captivity for the educational purpose is not necessarily a bad thing, but don't teach him to fetch and sit up and beg, don't degrade him by putting on a show. Especially something like a Orca. These animals may play on their own, they are protectie of their pods and family members, and they thrive by hunting. They hunt their favorite food, seal. And the sad thing is these animals in captivity don't get their proper and normal diet. I am sure all the animal rights groups would have problems with feeding the Orcas live seals. I don't particularly relish the idea myself, but they should be allowed to be free and eat and hunt what is proper for them. And looks wise, we are often mistaken for seals, especially by Great White Sharks.

Another wild animal case in point doing what comes natural, is Siegfried and Roy's tiger. Animals may put up with the degradation for awhile, but believe me they will retaliate to remind you just what they are. They are wild. Leave them in the wild. We need to appreciate that they are wild and can hurt us.

 

 

 

Learning to live with the elderly, dog that is. :)

Ah yes, learning to live with an elderly dog. They are much like us as we age, things don't work as good as they used to, or there is loss of one or more functions, and they become needier and require a wealth of patience.

Well.... some days the patience part wears a bit thin. And while I know it's not his fault and I know intellectually he isn't thinking or doing as he once did, I still find myself a bit impatient with him and I have to try to catch myself and not let it out.

My little man, Lil'Shit is about 15 now, he's a chihuahua and has had some rough knocks in his life. And no, I didn't give him his name, but he felt and still feels he needs to live up to his name. He is a very loveable little guy, but very very hard headed, litterally and figuratively. In other words he is stubborn and single minded.

As he gets older, he is pretty much completely deaf now, and cataracts have robbed him of almost all of his vision. Although even the loss of vision hasn't fazed him, he actually has adapted to the house pretty well. And I know better than to move furniture right now so he'll always know where things are. His balance isn't that great and he doesn't eat with the gusto he once did. As he has been losing his sight, I know he can still see shapes and shadows, but only if there is enough light. He likes to be close to us at all times, and seems lost and disoriented if he can't find one of us. We all have to be careful when walking or turning around in the house because he is always right there and ends up underfoot. I notice too that he doesn't like to go outside to do his business hardly anymore. I think the backyard has become foreign to him now, and if  it's dark he won't leave the area that is lit by the porch light. So getting him outside to do his business is hard and one has to be on the watch to catch him and put him outside, otherwise there are little bombs left on the floor.

His balance is getting worse and he seems to carry most of his weight on his forequarters. And the part about being stubborn and single minded falls in here. He still thinks he can hop from couch to couch or couch to chair, or balance  on the edge of the couch before he jumps down. Of course we have to pick him up. We are constantly either just in time or helpless across the room as he slides off or simply loses balance and falls off the arm of the sofa or was sleeping too close to the edge and slides off. And you hear this "thump" as he hits the floor. And he has an obsession with the stairs. I cannot find a solution yet to keep him off of them. He mostly wants up there to look for us, and it's warmer up there.  Although if he is cautious he can get down by himself. Most times we carry him down and then he wants to go right back up.

There are times he will wander around the house and come to say the cross piece for the table chair and he can't seem to figure out how to go over it anymore or around it. And you will find him just standing there staring looking very lost. I am sure that dogs do get a form of senility.

As I learn from my boy, I also have a friend who's Golden is going through the same thing. She feels so bad for her pup, and thinks she is suffering. I keep reminding here how remarkably adaptable dogs are to all this and that she isn't suffering. She will learn to make her way around and always be close to my friend, whom has already fallen over her. It takes time, but they do adapt and we have to have the patience for them while they age and have these changes through the last years of their lives.

I enjoy most times loving on him when I get home. And have to laugh when he wants up then seems to want down, walks around the coffee table and wants right back up then over on the other sofa. While I myself might find it frustrating to lose my sight and hearing and not be confident moving around, I really don't think they have that frustration. They really do adapt well.

So.... Patience is my word (again) of the week.

Don't think you should spay or neuter? Think again....

Once again the issue of spaying and neutering is a hot topic on another networking group I belong to. It started by a friend posting her experiences working in a shelter, and just how many healthy, happy puppies, adult dogs, adult cats, and kittens are euthanized on a daily basis because there aren't enough homes for them. Not evening defining "good" homes, just homes for them. And the kicker as she so eloquently put it was this, "every person that allows more dogs to be born into this already overpopulated dog world, should first have to assist in the euthanasia of healthy, homeless dogs for a month. If, after a month of euthanizing wo/man’s best friend over and over and over, you can still, without regret, allow more puppies to join us -- then I guess I don’t have much more of an argument. Hold those dogs in your arms as they take their last breaths – for no good reason except that there aren’t enough homes. NO MORE PUPPIES!!!" She went on to post about the one dog, whose death will always stay with her, "I'll NEVER forget one specific dog that was euthanized. He was 'average' looking, sweet, sensible, maybe 3-4 years old. Didn't get anyone's attention I guess because he was 'average.' When it was his turn to be euthanized, the drugs would not kill him. His heart wouldn't stop beating. The staff vet had to be called in. I was holding the dog and sobbing and said "Why won't he die?" and I'LL NEVER FORGET THIS -- the vet said to me "Because he's so healthy." They eventually had to give him a massive dose of whatever. To this day I wish I had added that little "average" dog to my pack before he was picked to go to 'the room.' If I'd only known."


We also perpetrate all these euthanasias by buying purebred animals from breeders who will indiscriminately kill pups or kittens that don't meet their standards, or are slightly deformed. And mill breeders will kill undesireable animals any way they can, look at how Michael Vick killed his, by electrocution.

Then I was reminded by another friend the 10 reasons people consistently come up with for "NOT" altering their pets:

THE TEN WORST REASONS NOT TO SPAY OR NEUTER YOUR PET:


1. Just one litter and we’ll have Fluffy spayed.
Studies show that nearly the entire pet overpopulation stems from the "Just one litter" mentality

2. My dog doesn’t run loose, so he/she doesn’t need to be fixed.
Murphy’s law says otherwise

3. We always find a home for the kittens/puppies
And that means that an equal number of kittens/puppies with be euthanised at your local pound.

4. I want my children to witness the miracle of birth.
RENT A VIDEO!!!

5. My dog/cat is so cute and unique, there should be more of him.
The shelters are full of cute and unique dogs and cats with only a few days left to live!

6. It’s just not natural.
There hasn’t been anything "natural" about dogs or cats since we began to develop breeds thousands of years ago

7. I just couldn’t look my dog in the eyes if I had him castrated
GET A LIFE !!!

8. A female dog/cat should have at least one litter for health reasons
Medically, factually and ethically INDEFENSIBLE.

9. Neutering my dog/cat will make them fat and lazy
Too much food and not enough exercise make your pet fat and lazy

10. Fixing my pet will change his/her personality
The primary influence on an animal’s personality is the kindness and care with which it is treated.

And then if you can read all this above and still say oh, but this would never happen to my "Fluffy's" offspring, think again. Then look at this poster from the Humane Society and rethink it all. This poster says it all:



So.... think again, and I would ask you how you can justify allowing your pet to breed indiscriminately or how can you justify paying money for a "purebred" animal, and allow so many other souls to die?

Recycle that old fur coat, cap or stole.

Ran across this article today, it's about recycling your old fur made items (caps, coats, stoles, etc.) What a wonderful way to make use of something that is no longer politically correct to wear.

A 2-week-old grey fox sleeps in donated fur in this photo released by The Humane Society of the United States.

So, if you've got a fur coat gathering dust? The Humane Society suggests the ultimate recycling — giving it back for use for other animals. The Coats for Cubs program by the Humane Society of the United States helps orphaned, injured or sick wildlife by gathering fur coats and using them for nests, bedding or cuddly replacements for mom and dad. The fur is used for bedding for orphaned wildlife infants to help provide comfort, and reduce stress, thereby increasing the odds for survival.

The coats go to wildlife rehabilitation centers that take in baby raccoons, chipmunks, squirrels, coyotes, skunks and other animals, and has helped thousands of animals since it began in 2005 with the Fund for Animals.

The furs are always needed, but they are especially welcome in winter. The current Coats for Cubs coat drive technically ends on Earth Day, April 22, but the Humane Society will accept coats any time of the year.