We’re now facing one of the most serious threats to dog protection laws ever—and we need your help to stop it.

The House of Representatives’ Farm Bill contains an amendment from Rep. Steve King (R-IA) that could wipe out dog protection laws nationwide. Laws banning dog meat sales and those cracking down on puppy mills are all in jeopardy.

*And it doesn’t stop there: this amendment could also repeal laws banning horse slaughter—along with environmental protection, worker safety, and other important laws.

The Congressional Farm Bill amendment would nullify every state law that cracks down on puppy mills and bans the sale of dog meat.

If the King amendment passes, these could all could be nullified.

TAKE ACTION
Please make a brief, polite phone call to your U.S. Representative urging support of the Denham-Schrader amendment, which would strip the King amendment from the Farm Bill.

Here’s what you say: “As a constituent concerned about preventing cruelty to animals, I’m calling to urge you to support the Denham-Schrader amendment because I want animals to have protection from cruelty.”

This will only take five minutes of your time and it means SO much. Every call made equals a vote in favor of animals everywhere.

The $53 billion Americans are spending on pets and pet businesses will skyrocket in 2013. But experts warn the boom is empowering ruthless puppy mills. Take steps to protect yourself and the animals.

$350 million spent on pet costumes in October? We did, according to the National Retail Federation.

Despite the lingering economic crisis casting a shadow over the holidays, pet spending is exploding. From $37.3 billion in 2001 to nearly $53 billion in 2012, a 42 percent increase in 11 years according to a 2012 APPA study. But experts warn the trend is causing unprepared pet buyers to get in over their heads, which is creating opportunities for shady operations.

You’re not seeing double. Wugadogs are the toy versions of a real-life Boston Terrier named Angus. They’re part of a nationwide ‘Petrepreneuer’ trend in pet commerce.

And despite the gloomy outlook for jobs and overall finances, pet spending is rocketing into 2013 and showing no signs of slowing down.

So why the shopping spree? “People are more interested in pets than ever before,” says San Diego veterinarian Dr. Jessica Vogelsang. Her statement reflects the long-held belief that pets improve human health. How? A neat little chemical called oxytocin, says Kit Yarrow, who chairs the psychology department of Golden Gate University in San Francisco.

Oxytocin is a naturally-occurring hormone in our bodies that makes us feel good and evaporates stress. We get a charge whenever we think about, play with, or snuggle up to our pets, says Yarrow. And in these unstable times, a feeling like that is more than welcome to stay awhile.

Pet businesses skyrocket in 2012

The trend is titilating consumers partly because of new pet-focused businesses and services. Buffalo, NY-based ex-graphic artist turned toy designer, Darrin Wilson, 44, agrees. “I think we will see more of a focus on pets in 2013,” he says. “Especially if the economy remains tepid. Pets give us a safe place to hide.”

Wilson created a successful plush toy modeled after his own rambunctious Boston terrier. Interest in his toys, Wugadogs, began in July when he and his wife gave over 300 of the fuzzy critters to the Women and Children’s Hospital of Buffalo. He has now grown the line to include five more Wugadog designs in 2013.

In Danvers, MA, Rev. Thea Keith-Lucas takes pet devotion into the pews. The Perfect Paws Pet Ministry, which marked its second anniversary in April 2012, usually sets aside dog cupcakes and chewies for pooches who accompany their owners for Sunday service. In the Parish hall, you’ll see folding chairs. “It’s easier to clean,” explains the minister.

‘Petrepreneurialism’ is not just limited to creative pet owners and clergy; the trend has taken over big name companies. Paul Mitchell, Harley Davidson and Old Navy are now offering lines of pet products ranging from dog shampoo, pet attire, and name-brand toys to gourmet treats and food.

With all this attention on pets, and the surge of pet-focused spending, the lure of a cute kitten or puppy to a first-time buyer can be too tempting to resist, especially if there are children involved. And that’s where all the cuteness can get ugly.

Puppy mills thrive on uninformed buyers

Many first-timers don’t know that the kennel or pet store they’re buying from is being honest. “Federal care standards are so minimal and enforcement so irregular that licensed kennels still include many so-called puppy mills, which breed and house animals in inhumane conditions,” says Cori Menkin, senior director of the American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals puppy mills campaign. “Most pet store puppies come from puppy mills,” she says.

According to one well-known animal rights organization, the premium cost consumers pay for pets out of a pet store pales in comparison to the cruelty and abuse the animals suffer in the bowels of a puppy mill.

Puppy mills, according to PETA, can consist of anything from small cages made of wood and wire mesh to tractor-trailer cabs to simple tethers attached to trees. In the April 13, 2009 issue of Newsweek magazine, a Pennsylvania breeder confessed that he kept his dogs in cages because it was “the only way to keep a lot of dogs—to keep them penned up.”

In 2010, Chris Sweeney of DVM Newsmagazine reported in a feature entitled, “Inside the Black Market: Puppy Smuggling,” confirmed that dealers looking to avoid releveant U.S. laws concerning puppy mills can do so relatively easily by simply picking up and moving elsewhere to continue to do business.

While investigating what he called this “multi-million dollar industry,” Capt. Aaron Reyes of the Southeast Area Animal Control Authority was horrified when he found “puppies stuffed in speaker boxes, screwed into the car door panels and wrapped in blankets with their little legs taped to their bodies and stuffed under seats.”

According to The Humane Society of the United States, there may be as many as 10,000 puppy mills operating across the United States.

To avoid empowering these malicious operations, one of the most important steps to take is diligence. Instead of a pet store, consumers may want to look at either a reputable local breeder or an adoption group, says Melanie Kahn, senior director of the Humane Society’s puppy mills campaign. If we can stop the flow of money to these individuals we can help end these practices.

On the other end of the spectrum, you have pet buyers who discover their newly-purchased pet isn’t for them. “Live animals aren’t often returnable, and so they may end up at shelters when the family discovers, say, that their new puppy is too energetic or that baby Easter bunny grows into a rabbit,” says Kahn.

Adopt a dog from a reputable adoption group to avoid puppy mill dogs. Also by carefully researching the breeders that supply pet stores.

Patti Strand, national director of the National Animal Interest Alliance, offers these tips:

1. Ask the pet store for detailed information on the breeder and their location.
2. Check those records against its inspections at the USDA’s website.

With homework you can protect yourself and deny puppy mill operators the cash they need.

But despite the dark side of this skyrocketing interest in pets, there is a light side: many abandoned animals will go to good homes thanks to committed pet owners. “Animals have always been a big part of our lives as humans,” says Wilson. “They have often been the only medicine that can truly cleanse our souls. It’s only right we adore them as much as they adore us.”

(Thanks to wugadogs.com for this story.)

Global warming, it’s a complicated issue. Whilst the naysayers continue to search for conspiracies against climate change, this year the North American heat wave highlighted the very stark potential of our collective futures.

With more than 40,113 temperate records broken this year, the US and Canada have suffered 82 heat-related deaths and a further 22 deaths due to the resultant destruction of the derecho in June.

This loss of life allows us a small insight into the true power of extreme weather, but how is it affecting the nation’s pets?

Doggie in a Car

Appallingly, hundreds of cats and dogs have died this summer due to insufficient care and dehydration. During times of severe environmental change, it seems that pets are usually the last priority and this is having a serious impact on their standard of care.

One of the most notorious (and deadliest) issues facing pets during a heat wave is overheating in cars.

“It doesn’t take any time at all,” veterinarian Andy Morton with Roswell’s Chattahoochee Animal Hospital told WSBTV-Atlanta, “30 seconds is all that’s needed for them to die.” Unlike humans, dogs cannot sweat to cool themselves down and this leads to heat stroke and suffocation.

Thankfully, policemen across the states have been actively clamping down on this kind of animal neglect. Tickets are being issued left, right and center, and whilst the amount of the ticket is down to the officer’s discretion, they can be as high as $1,000.

In worst case scenarios, it can lead to one year in jail for committing “animal cruelty” depending where you live, and a ban on owning dogs in the future.

Grey Skies over Great Britain

However, across the other side of the Atlantic, things are quite the opposite. Thanks to the Atlantic conveyor, the heat wave in the US has forced damp and muggy conditions towards the UK. Consequently, they have suffered more than their usual deluge of rainfall. It was the wettest June since records began, and is set to be one of the wettest summers, with 366.8 mm of rainfall.

Nonetheless, this wet weather isn’t without its bugbears. Due to the humidity, biting insects have been extremely prevalent and this summer has witnessed the rise of the super-bug (one that’s

Itchy, Scratching Pup

built-up a resistance to conventional treatments). This flea and mosquito influx has left pets and people itching for relief.

Whilst super-insect problems might seem like a trivial issue in comparison to the US heat wave, the influx of bugs can signal some very real, and highly dangerous, problems.

Fleas spread diseases like tapeworms, and can create considerable allergic responses in some pets. After all, the flea was responsible for spreading the Great Plague in Europe.

With winters becoming milder and pest populations increasing, the New Scientist reports that, “the European dog tick is transmitting a malaria-like disease, canine babesiosis, into countries where it was once rare including Belgium, Germany, Poland and the Netherlands. Meanwhile, ixodes ticks are living at greater densities across Europe, increasing their risk of passing tick-borne encephalitis to horses and dogs.”

Changes to the Environment Means Changes to Behavior

Indeed, it seems the consequences of climate change not only effect people. With this in mind, it’s extremely important to heed the changes to your environment and behave accordingly, especially when the care of vulnerable animals is concerned.

Under absolutely no circumstances should a dog be left alone in the car, regardless of the weather conditions. However, this is especially the case during a heat wave. If you have to take your dog out with you, ensure that where you’re going allows dogs and, if not, get a family member to sit in the shade with them, ensuring the dog drinks plenty of water. You could face a criminal conviction, a hefty fine and the guilt of your dog’s death on your shoulders.

Let that be deterrent enough.

If you suspect a dog is suffering with heat stroke, call your vet immediately. You can check for symptoms and relief methods here.

If you see a dog locked in a car, call the emergency services.

(Sadly, you will be liable to pay damages if you smash a window and the owner presses charges).

Where super-fleas are concerned, it’s crucial that all owners receive the correct advice, tailored to their pet and his/her individual needs. Animed Direct is a fantastic website for vet advice (plus they have a wide range of flea treatments). They have a qualified vet engaging in live chats every single day and they are ready to answer your medical questions and concerns.

It’ always best to have a vet suggest the best course of treatment for your dog, it’s no good just guessing.

By Guest Blogger, Emily Buchanan

THIS IS A PET POEM I WROTE THAT I WANT TO DEDICATE TO ALL ANIMALS OUT THERE… JL SMITH ©2012

I am an animal, not an object.  You can’t kick me around like a pair of old used shoes…

You know, I have super-sensitive feelings too.

And a sixth sense to boot – so I know when you’re feeling down in the dumps and blue.

I am an animal; I am not something you “just have”. I feel mental, emotional and physical pain.

Don’t tread on me; don’t be too hard on me, because the spirited spree from me you’ll immediately drain.

I am a “who,” not a “that; “you can’t starve me because you can’t or won’t buy food,

Just take me to a shelter where they can make some arrangements, and stick me with a bunch of like-minded friendly broods.

I am an animal, I am not a thing. I have emotions; I feel sensations, love, anger, and fear.

If you don’t love me, I can definitely tell, but I’ll still greet you every day with a smile from ear to ear.

I am a beloved pet; I am not a thing, I have a beating heart, I have working organs and lungs.

You simply cannot ignore me or neglect me… If you do, I’ll simply come undone… Ill unravel ‘til I’m on the last wrung.

I am an animal, not a thing. And that means it’s hard for me to take care of myself.

I really depend on you to help me out, to care for me, So don’t scream at me when I have an accident or deserve a small pat on the butt, that makes everything worse and I’ll only want to cower about.

I am an animal not a thing; you can’t just dump me when work and life become too bustled.

I don’t deserve to be taken on just a quick three-minute walk at night where I’m constantly being hurried and hustled.

I am an animal with natural instincts; I like to smell the grass and flowers and bushes and trees.

I was born of the same nature that I am sniffing so give me time to work my way through the pee-mails and the lovely scents in the breeze.

I am an animal; I have a big warm beating heart- the same as that child you just had.

Don’t forget me when there’s a new addition–I love her too, but if you suddenly ignore me I’ll become extremely depressed and sad.

I am a best friend, not just something you own, I speak with my eyes, my ears and my tail,

Look deeply into me and show me your love please because that’s what the very best part of my day entails.

I am your animal, not your thing – I breathe the same air and live in the same super nice or crappy area as you do,

So be good to it, and be good to me, because I promise right now all I know is to be good to you too.

I am your animal; I am part of your beating heart, and I show unconditional love…

Animals Sent To Earth to Bring Love

Show me how to grow, how to learn, how to be and you won’t be let down,

because all we animals,

you see, like white flying peace doves,

We’re on special missions sent directly from Heaven above.

We’re here to fill the Earth with much-needed Compassion, Devotion and Love.

©JAIME LYNN SMITH, 2012

Today we’re looking at a difficult subject: animal abuse.

It’s often hard to spot the signs of animal abuse, as we can put a lot of tell-tale signs down to a pet’s personality, or illness or simple paranoia on our part.

What’s important to remember, though, is if someone is investigated for animal abuse and there’s no evidence that abuse is taking place, nothing bad happens (and you can report possible abuse anonymously) – whilst if someone is allowed to continue abusing their animal, a wonderful and loving pet could die before they find the equally wonderful and loving owner they deserve.

So long as you report suspected abuse to the relevant authorities, rather than trying to enforce justice yourself, there is very little that can go wrong.

Here are the most obvious signs of animal abuse.

5. Extremely Skinny Animals

‘Abuse’ isn’t just a term reserved for physical harm; failing to provide your pet with an adequate diet is equally life-threatening! If an animal looks undernourished, it is suffering.

This might not even be something the owner is aware of. Aging cats that once caught some of their own food might not be able to fend for themselves so well, and pets of all kinds that develop dental problems will lose weight fairly rapidly.

Weight loss might also be due to an illness. Look for additional environmental factors, such as being tied outside in the same spot every day, or an abnormally large number of other pets in the same household.

4. Obvious Confusion and Disorientation

Animals that are confused and disorientated are much more likely to be suffering from abuse right now than animals who are timid or aggressive.

Timidity and aggression can be lifelong reactions to abuse at an early age. Although tragic, these features might not be the owner’s responsibility.

Confusion and disorientation, though, are symptomatic of undernourishment, untreated illness and a lack of appropriate stimuli in the animal’s environment.

3. Weakness or Awkward Gait

An awkward gait, or significant weakness, often shows up very late.

As always, it’s important to remember that this could be due to illness or old age, but if the animal looks young, and if the animal shows confusion and disorientation or is very bony, then the possibility of animal abuse is very real.

If an animal looks like it’s struggling to get around and its owner doesn’t seem particularly bothered, or never seems to be around, it might be worth reporting.

2. Absent Owners

If there are signs that an owner is rarely present, such as lights that never come on or off regardless of time of day, or the animal in question is always seen in the same place – for example, always tied up in the garden – this could constitute neglect.

There may have been a misunderstanding but owners should not be away from their pets for more than a few days at a time, and obviously ideally they should avoid even that! In fact, young puppies shouldn’t even be left alone for more than a few hours on end.

Absent owners might lead to serious health problems, dehydration and starvation.

Image by Graeme Law

1. Visible Wounds

Of course, the number one sign is visible wounds. It sounds obvious, but people often don’t think of abuse even when they see signs like this.

Many of my friends have stories of driving through deprived areas, and seeing signs of poverty such as burnt-out cars, trash dumped in front gardens… and flea-ridden, mangy dogs with scabs all over their bodies.

It often takes a full minute of me staring at them in disbelief before they realize:

“Hey, maybe I should have called someone about that dog, huh?”

_

This is the most important takeaway: it’s easy to see signs of abuse without really seeing them.

It’s our responsibility, and no-one else’s, to report these signs as soon as we see them, to as many authorities as possible.

You may just save a life!

Louise Blake writes about animal care for Anicura, which offers a range of pet sprays and shampoos designed to take care of skin conditions such as eczema and mange in pets.