(Not much of a diary, but just wanted to post some animal cruelty/welfare news stories currently out there.)
"Think occasionally of the suffering of which you spare yourself the sight." ~Albert Schweitzer
Violence against innocent animals often reveals the bleak, brutal darkness that is part of this world. Compassion is sometimes a struggle amongst the darkness that surround us.
But many people love animals and can't stand the idea of animals being mistreated or abused. The people that work to protect and promote animal rights deserves much praise. They are willing to stand up against the various mistreatments of animals, rather it comes from individuals, governments, or business. (I was going to post some pictures of animal cruelty. But I just couldn't, they were just too disturbing & disgusting.)
News from Connecticut
HARTFORD, Conn. - A new, state legislative task force is examining animal cruelty in Connecticut and the effect it can have on human behavior.
The panels stems from concerns that young people who abuse animals often show a penchant for violent behavior as adults.
House Speaker James Amann named eight lawmakers Democrats and Republicans to the task force. They'll meet between now and December, soliciting information from the public and experts on how to combat violence. The panel will later report back the legislature
Martha Rosenberg asks are your Easter eggs cruelty free?
In the US, more than 300 schools, Burger King and United States House of Representatives are phasing out cage produced eggs--and Wolfgang Puck and Whole Foods Market have completely done so.
Yet United Egg Producers (UEP) the trade group which represents 85% of US egg farms, continues to defend battery cage produced eggs and even disguise them under the illegal label, "Animal Care Certified."
In 2005, in response to Better Business Bureau charges that the label "Animal Care Certified" was misleading, the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) announced the label should read "United Egg Producers Certified" by March 31, 2006.
In California an animal control officer is accused of drowning kittens.
ADELANTO, Calif.—The head of this city's animal control office is a facing multiple animal cruelty counts after authorities say he drowned dozens of kittens last year.
Kevin Murphy, who has not been arrested, faces up to six years in prison if convicted. He is accused of drowning up to 50 kittens over a four-month period.
Kathy Williamson of the Victor Valley Animal Protective League takes in animals that Adelanto Animal Control workers bring her. She says the city pays her $23 to take in a live cat for up to 10 days. She says Adelanto pays $10 for her to take a dead cat.
City Manager Jim Hart says the city is reviewing proper procedure with current staff.
Murphy, 36, has been placed on administrative leave. He is scheduled to be arraigned May 19 at San Bernardino County Superior Court.
Stories like this one from New York are all too common.
JAMESTOWN, N.Y. — A Jamestown man faces 13 counts of animal cruelty after police discovered 13 cats locked in a room without food or water in a vacant house he owns.
Jason Nasser, 28, of Fulton Street in Jamestown, who police said also owned the cats, was arrested and charged Tuesday night shortly after police discovered the animals.
In New Zealand 214 environmental groups are urging the government to protect the endangered Hector’s and Maui’s dolphins.
CWI says that even the best option included in the plan would only give Hector’s dolphins a less than a 50/50 chance of recovering to their original numbers by 2050.
Hector’s dolphins have declined from an estimated 29,000 in the 1970s to just 7,000 today. The situation for Maui’s is even more desperate with just 111 remaining, of which less than 30 are breeding females. The research available shows that the Maui’s dolphin will not survive if more than one animal is killed every 5-7 years and that at least 12 Maui’s dolphins have died in the past 7 years alone, putting the species on the verge of extinction.
And not too far away, Australia gathers proof on Japan's whaling bribes
THE Australian Government has gained fresh ammunition in its battle to stop "scientific" whaling, exposing Japanese vote-buying at the International Whaling Commission.
One of the whaler's key Pacific supporters, the Solomon Islands, has frankly admitted to Australia that Japanese interests normally finance its trips to the whaling commission, which is finely balanced between pro and anti-whaling groups.
"Usually Japan pays for our attendance," Prime Minister Derek Sikua said. But he said the Solomons had declined to attend a special closed meeting on the future of the IWC that wound up in London last night.
Dog fighting remains a problem all over the US.
From the Humane Society- Why should dogfighting be a felony offense?
There are several compelling reasons. Because dogfighting yields such large profits for participants, the minor penalties associated with misdemeanor convictions are not a sufficient deterrent. Dogfighters merely absorb these fines as part of the cost of doing business. The cruelty inherent in dogfighting should be punished by more than a slap on the hand. Dogfighting is not a spur-of-the-moment act; it is a premeditated and cruel practice.
Those involved in dogfighting go to extensive lengths to avoid detection by law enforcement, so investigations can be difficult, dangerous, and expensive. Law enforcement officials are more inclined to investigate dogfighting if it is a felony. As more states make dogfighting a felony offense, those remaining states with low penalties will become magnets for dogfighters.
If you live in one of the states where dogfighting is still only a misdemeanor, please write to your state legislators and urge them to make it a felony. To find out how your state treats dogfighting, visit our page on State Dogfighting Laws
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The world is a richer place because of the animals that inhabit it. The compassion and love that human beings can have for animals is a lovely thing.
The human spirit is not dead. It lives on in secret.... It has come to believe that compassion, in which all ethics must take root, can only attain its full breadth and depth if it embraces all living creatures and does not limit itself to mankind. ~Albert Schweitzer
some cute photo's!
anyone interested in donating to the Humane Society can do so here.