Yard Nazi Wacko Pours Scalding Water on Squirrel

I swear, I’ve seen plenty of Yard Nazis. You know them. Constantly monitoring their yard for any signs of life. Because, after all, you can’t have any life in your yard – right wackos?

Myself, I love to see squirrels and birds in my yard; their presence means it’s a healthy place. It’s those who hate them that we need to be worried about. And it’s those who pour scalding water on them after trapping them that we all need to be VERY worried about. Very sick people.

Article:

Vigilantes nuts over squirrels

http://archive.nwherald.com/archive_detail.

php?archiveFile=./pubfiles/nwh/archive/2006/

February/05/Columnists/76099.xml&start=0

&numPer=20&keyword=Vigilantes+nuts+over+

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2000&enddate=12%2F31%2F2006&authorSearch

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publicationSearch[]=Northwest+Herald&archive_

pubname=Northwest+Herald%0A%09%09%09

Publication Northwest Herald

Date February 05, 2006

Section(s) Columnists

Page

Squirrel lovers of America, unite!

Actually, they have. And their sights are set on Crystal Lake. It all might seem a bit comical if it weren't so - well - ugly.

A crusade by some animal advocates to see that a Crystal Lake man accused of torturing a squirrel is properly punished has devolved into a mishmash of anonymous threats and worse.

John Grivas, 75, is charged with misdemeanor animal cruelty and unlawfully trapping a squirrel. Upset that squirrels were damaging his garage, Grivas in January captured one in his yard on Ellsworth Street near downtown Crystal Lake, then poured scalding water on it, authorities claim. The animal later was euthanized.

If true, it's a disturbing crime, though Grivas denies that he scalded the squirrel.

The story was reported by several news outlets, including this newspaper. Some animal-advocacy Web sites and blogs also picked up the story, including Pet-Abuse.com and The Squirrel Lover's Club site.

"This is to notify you of a particularly sadistic act that was perpetrated on a squirrel in Crystal Lake, Ill.," The Squirrel Lover's Club's founder and president, Gregg Bassett, wrote to members on www.squirrelloversforfreedom.com.

The club is operated from Elmhurst, in suburban DuPage County, but its membership includes squirrel lovers from across the country.

Bassett, 63 years old and himself the owner of a pet squirrel named Happy, urged members to complain to McHenry County authorities about the lenient treatment he believed that Grivas was receiving. He and others think Grivas should be charged with a felony, which would carry stiffer penalties upon conviction and require a psychological evaluation.

I never would characterize myself as a squirrel lover. But Bassett and his group are taking an acceptable approach to their cause. They've flooded the McHenry County state's attorney's office and the Crystal Lake Police Department with phone calls and letters. All Bassett wants is for Grivas to be prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law.

Nothing wrong with that.

But as it often goes with such causes, there are those who aren't satisfied with the sensible approach. And in this case, the more extreme advocates have decided to take matters into their own hands.

Since the story appeared in the media, Grivas has received numerous threats via telephone and the mail. Someone went so far as to smash his front window, Crystal Lake Police Chief Dave Linder said.

While Grivas has been the primary target, a witness who reported him to authorities also received a threat in the mail.

"Do you think the squirrel had it rough? Wait until we get through with you," the anonymous author warned, calling the witness a "scumbag" for turning in Grivas.

Local police have been investigating the threats against both accused and accuser.

"We've had detectives looking into the letters and into the damage," Linder said. "We've put special attention on this. We've had extra patrols in that area" since the threats began.

As are most threats of this type, they all are anonymous and unlikely to result in any criminal prosecution.

Meanwhile, Grivas is scheduled to be in court Monday for a plea hearing.

If the charges are proved true, Grivas should be punished. But it should be by the criminal justice system, not vigilante extremists too cowardly to attach their names to their cause.

Business-Focused America: Anti-Cow Milk Adds Not Allowed to Run on Super Bowl. Democracy?

Come on.. If we did live in a true democracy, business wouldn't decide every thing we see and hear. Whether you like it or not, there is a legitimate concern against milk. At the very least, cow milk proponents should at least be open to the option of hormone-free cows. But, in business-obsessed America, no ads will be aired.

Quick quote from article below:

“This is probably not a message middle America is ready to hear, at least not without creating an unfortunate backlash. Nor is it likely to be aired on television in any major markets.”

Super Bowl bans Animal rights campaign on milk

http://news.independent.co.uk/world/americas/article343472.ece

By Andrew Gumbel in Los Angeles

Published: 06 February 2006

Declaring war on milk is a cause unlikely to win many converts. On the other hand, depicting nubile young women getting drunk and pulling their tops off is more or less guaranteed to hold the momentary attention of at least 50 per cent of the planet.

That appears to be the logic behind the latest advertising campaign from People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals, or Peta, the leading US animal rights campaign organisation.

A lavishly-produced television spot mimics the publicity for a sexploitation video venture called Girls Gone Wild: good-looking college girls go on spring break and flash for the cameras.

But in the Peta version, the girls have udders instead of breasts, which soon start leaking milk.

Using the slogan "Milk Gone Wild", the adverts aren't so much shocking as laugh-out-loud ridiculous. It's not clear what link is being made between the exhibitionist college girls and the supposed iniquities of milk.

Only a visit to the Milk Gone Wild website, and a viewing of a short documentary narrated by the actor Alec Baldwin, explains the case against the accompaniment to every kid's bowl of breakfast cereal.

Milk, Peta says, is the product of an industry gone wild, in which cows are separated from their offspring, only to be slaughtered for meat once they have outlived their productivity.

Milk, we are also told, contains pus and animal faeces and, contrary to received wisdom that says its calcium is good for your bones, might just as easily give you osteoporosis as prevent it.

This is probably not a message middle America is ready to hear, at least not without creating an unfortunate backlash. Nor is it likely to be aired on television in any major markets.

Peta offered to pay $2.2m (£1.2m) to the ABC network to air it during last night's Super Bowl but was turned down on the grounds the advert "falls outside the boundaries of good taste".

This was, admittedly, a disingenuous reason. Previous Super Bowl adverts have included a dog biting a man in the crotch, a flatulent horse, and any number of pitches for erectile dysfunction remedies.

By now, crying foul about censorship is part and parcel of Peta's campaigning platform. The advert, meanwhile, remains freely available for anyone with access to a computer to watch. And the verdict from iFilm, the online movie forum currently hosting the clip? "It's udderly disgusting."

Declaring war on milk is a cause unlikely to win many converts. On the other hand, depicting nubile young women getting drunk and pulling their tops off is more or less guaranteed to hold the momentary attention of at least 50 per cent of the planet.

That appears to be the logic behind the latest advertising campaign from People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals, or Peta, the leading US animal rights campaign organisation.

A lavishly-produced television spot mimics the publicity for a sexploitation video venture called Girls Gone Wild: good-looking college girls go on spring break and flash for the cameras.

But in the Peta version, the girls have udders instead of breasts, which soon start leaking milk.

Using the slogan "Milk Gone Wild", the adverts aren't so much shocking as laugh-out-loud ridiculous. It's not clear what link is being made between the exhibitionist college girls and the supposed iniquities of milk.

Only a visit to the Milk Gone Wild website, and a viewing of a short documentary narrated by the actor Alec Baldwin, explains the case against the accompaniment to every kid's bowl of breakfast cereal.

Milk, Peta says, is the product of an industry gone wild, in which cows are separated from their offspring, only to be slaughtered for meat once they have outlived their productivity.

Milk, we are also told, contains pus and animal faeces and, contrary to received wisdom that says its calcium is good for your bones, might just as easily give you osteoporosis as prevent it.

This is probably not a message middle America is ready to hear, at least not without creating an unfortunate backlash. Nor is it likely to be aired on television in any major markets.

Peta offered to pay $2.2m (£1.2m) to the ABC network to air it during last night's Super Bowl but was turned down on the grounds the advert "falls outside the boundaries of good taste".

This was, admittedly, a disingenuous reason. Previous Super Bowl adverts have included a dog biting a man in the crotch, a flatulent horse, and any number of pitches for erectile dysfunction remedies.

By now, crying foul about censorship is part and parcel of Peta's campaigning platform. The advert, meanwhile, remains freely available for anyone with access to a computer to watch. And the verdict from iFilm, the online movie forum currently hosting the clip? "It's udderly disgusting."

Which is Really the Dumb Primate? One who Dresses Another Primate Up and Laughs at it, or the One Laughed At? Careerbuilder Seems to be the Former

WhReally the Dumb Primate? One who Dresses Another Primate Up and then Laughs at it, or the One Being Laughed At? Careerbuilder Continues To be the First Type.

I’ve never seen the entertainment in watching chimpanzees work painfully and awkwardly through human situations in awkward human clothing. This mostly appeals to dimwitted TV heads. I mean, come on, laugh at a primate? You’ve got problems.

So, who’s the dumb primate? One who sits and dresses another primate up and then laughs at it, or the one being laughed at? If the first type is, then Careerbuilder is an organization full of idiot primates.

Consider the following points from the article below:

A 14-month investigation of a major Hollywood chimpanzee trainer by the Chimpanzee Collaboratory, of which Goodall is a member, revealed shocking treatment of chimpanzee "actors," including regular punching and kicking of baby chimpanzees. Goodall' group has also documented numerous instances where chimpanzees, formerly used in film and television, were "retired" to shoddy roadside zoos where they will languish for decades.

Companies including Keds, Puma, HomeUSA Warehouse, and Honda pulled ads featuring great apes after learning of the cruelty inherent in training chimpanzees.

"Chimpanzees are suffering horribly for our entertainment," says world renowned chimpanzee expert Jane Goodall

Read on…..

Career builder bring out the apes again, animal rights group peeved

http://ad-rag.com/127407.php

Careerbuilder are still going ape over chimps and will be using them in yet another campaign, launching during the superbowl. The group NoReelApes.org aren't happy about it. If animal cruelty won't stop creatives from resorting to chimps, how about way tired creativity? Lets all boo and hiss and scream "hack" at the next ad that has chimps pretending t o be human in it. It got tired with PG Tips tea way back in the sixties, as their first chimp-family advert aired in 1956! Stop it already.

"Chimpanzees are suffering horribly for our entertainment," says world renowned chimpanzee expert Jane Goodall. "It is time to move beyond the misuse of creatures who are vulnerable to our exploitation precisely because they are so like us. We are asking companies like Careerbuilder.com to make the right choice and remove themselves from this cruel process." Companies including Keds, Puma, HomeUSA Warehouse, and Honda pulled ads featuring great apes after learning of the cruelty inherent in training chimpanzees.

reads a statement in a press release from NoReelApes.org.

A happy ending for last years Careerbuilder.com stars though, the trainer who provided the chimp-actors Bob Dunn of Bob Dunn's Animal Services has ceased providing chimpanzees for entertainment and retired his apes to a legitimate sanctuary in Florida.

The "no animals were harmed" stamp of approval provided by the American Humane Association is limited to the film set - the group doesn't know how the animals were trained, no where they end up.

A 14-month investigation of a major Hollywood chimpanzee trainer by the Chimpanzee Collaboratory, of which Goodall is a member, revealed shocking treatment of chimpanzee "actors," including regular punching and kicking of baby chimpanzees. Goodall' group has also documented numerous instances where chimpanzees, formerly used in film and television, were "retired" to shoddy roadside zoos where they will languish for decades.

U.S. Zoos Violating Federal Law in Housing of Elephants: Federal Legal Petition Seeks Enforcement Action/Confiscation of Ailing Elephants

U.S. Zoos Violating Federal Law in Housing of Elephants, Group Charges
Federal Legal Petition Seeks Enforcement Action/ Confiscation of Ailing Elephants

As I’ve said before you can’t argue with pictures. If you follow the link to this article you will see undeniable proof of “…inadequate space that restricts movement and forces elephants to stand for years on concrete and other unyielding flooring, often in their own waste."

You’ll actually see one picture of the Elephant Toni who was recently killed by the National Zoo in Washington, DC.

As I wrote about recently -

http://geari.blogspot.com/2006/01/

shame-on- national-zoo-in-washington

-dc.html,

I believe this was a political kill, in that they knew proof was to come out about her treatment. Well, now this is the case with these pictures and this legal petition. There was probably much more that they didn’t want anyone to see. Signs of abuse were likely evident. Instead of facing it, they killed her.

The point to remember here is that zoos are causing this physical damage. It is unnatural confinement in zoos, circuses, etc. that is leading to physical ailments.

Read on….

U.S. Zoos Violating Federal Law in Housing of Elephants, Group Charges

Federal Legal Petition Seeks Enforcement Action/ Confiscation of Ailing Elephants

http://www.idausa.org/news/currentnews/zoo_petition.html

Washington, D.C. - U.S. zoos are violating the federal Animal Welfare Act (AWA) by holding elephants in tiny, unnatural enclosures that cause painful arthritis and chronic foot infections, charges a legal petition filed today by In Defense of Animals (IDA) with the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA). An estimated half of all captive elephants suffer from arthritis and foot disease, and the ailments are the leading cause of euthanasia in captive elephants.

The petition seeks to compel the USDA to enforce an AWA provision requiring zoos and circuses to provide conditions consistent with elephants' health and well-being. The petition also asks USDA to confiscate elephants who are suffering with extreme cases of zoo-induced ailments. It is supported by Dr. Joyce Poole of the Amboseli Elephant Research Group and Dr. Daphne Sheldrick of the David Sheldrick Wildlife Trust -- two of the world's leading authorities on elephants; Dr. Michael Schmidt, former head research veterinarian at the Oregon Zoo; Les Schobert, a former zoo general curator and other former zoo veterinarians and professionals.

"Elephants in zoos are suffering painfully from arthritis and foot disease, a direct result of inadequate space that restricts movement and forces elephants to stand for years on concrete and other unyielding flooring, often in their own waste," says Elliot Katz, DVM, founder of IDA, which is filing the petition. "These conditions are killing elephants decades before their natural time."

"This petition seeks USDA action to force zoos to comply with the Animal Welfare Act, either by providing environments-hundreds of acres-that meet elephants' needs or by transferring them to sanctuaries with the space and natural habitat necessary for elephants to thrive," Katz continued.

American Zoo and Aquarium Association standards require only 1800 square feet (.04 acres) of outdoor space per elephant, about the size of six parking spaces. By contrast, African elephants have home ranges of 120 square miles and walk 5-12 miles a day or more. Asian elephants have home ranges of up to 200 square miles and daily movements ranging from 5-14 miles. (There are 640 acres in a square mile.)

The petition asks the USDA to inspect several zoos where elephants are currently suffering from arthritis and foot disease, including National Zoo in Washington, D.C.; Lee Richardson Zoo in Garden City, Kan.; Cameron Park Zoo in Waco, Texas; Reid Park Zoo in Tucson, Ariz.; Los Angeles Zoo; and, Abilene Zoo in Texas. The zoos were included based on medical records; IDA said more zoos would be added as medical records, obtained under state open records laws, are evaluated.

The petition was filed on IDA's behalf by Kimbrell and Mendelson, a Washington, D.C. law firm. It can be viewed here –

http://www.idausa.org/news/currentnews/zoo_petition.html

Due to Wastefulness of Animal Lives, Taxpayer Dollars and Amount of Abuse, the University of Wisconsin at Madison Rated Worst for Lab Animal Treatment

Due to Extraordinary Wastefulness of Animal Lives and Taxpayer Dollars and the Amount of Documented Abuse, the University of Wisconsin at Madison Rated Worst for Lab Animal Treatment.

Wow, that’s quite a ranking. Considering all of the documented cases of egregious cruelty out there, to get number one means that you really are one messed up organization. Quite an accomplishment. And yes, some will discount this rating due to PETA being involved, but just go ahead and take out PETA and look at the documented facts. No matter who is presenting it, it’s clear that there’s some sick stuff going on at the University of Wisconsin at Madison.

Animal rights activists rate UW researchers worst for lab animal treatment

http://www.dailycardinal.com/

article.php?storyid=1028532

Thursday, February 2, 2006

UW-Madison earned another top 10 accolade Wednesday when it ranked No. 1 on People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals list of the top 10 worst offenders for lab animal treatment, according to a PETA statement.

University officials were not available to comment on the ranking Wednesday.

Mary Beth Sweetland, PETA director of research and investigation said they chose UW-Madison because of its various high-profile experiments involving animals, including UW-Madison professor John Webster’s highly-publicized Taser experiments that used live pigs.

“We based our picks on the wastefulness of animal lives and taxpayer dollars and the amount of documented abuse,” Sweetland said.

She contends that some elements of experiments conducted in UW–Madison research labs are illegal.

In regard to UW-Madison’s top status in fields of research, she characterized that standing as illegitimate as well.

“If you look at the usual criteria—how the top research facilities are ranked—it’s generally by the amount of money they’re getting which says nothing really about the research itself,” Sweetland said.

Sweetland cited several experiments PETA has expressed disapproval for, including the Taser experiments and primate research performed by professor Ei Terasawa-Grilley.

“If the cruelty to animal statutes applied to researchers, they’d probably all have been charged long ago, animal researchers at the UW,” Sweetland said. “But sadly that’s not the case and it is not up to PETA to enforce the law.”

—Jamie Thomas

Agriculture Department Says it's Impossible to Determine if Slaughterhouses and Packing Plants are Obeying Rules to Keep Mad Cow Disease from Humans

The Agriculture Department Says it's Impossible to Determine Whether Slaughterhouses and Packing Plants are Obeying Rules Designed to Keep Mad Cow Disease from Reaching Humans

Again, the title says it all. What more can I say other than….watch out!

Auditors can't say whether meat plants followed rules

http://www.wcax.com

WASHINGTON

The Agriculture Department says it's impossible to determine whether slaughterhouses and packing plants are obeying rules designed to keep mad cow disease from reaching humans.

The safeguards were put in place after the first U-S case of mad cow disease in 2003. The rules require that at-risk tissues must be removed when older animals are slaughtered.

The audit, performed throughout 2005, turned up a case of mad cow disease last year in a Texas cow.

The department's inspector general didn't find that at-risk tissues like brains or spines from older animals had entered the food supply.

The Agriculture Department cited slaughterhouses or processing plants more than a thousand times in 2004 and 2005 for violating the rules.

On the Net:

Food Safety and Inspection Service: http://www.fsis.usda.gov/

You Never Know if the Pet You Sent to be Cremated Really Will Be. Perhaps They’ll Just End up Dumped Somewhere and you Receive Some Unknown Ashes

You Never Really Know if the Companion Animal you Sent to be Cremated Really Will be. Perhaps They’ll Just End up Dumped Somewhere and you Receive Some Ashes from an Unknown Source.

I always suspected this. Yes, this is in one state, but you can bet it applies to many situations. Again, it’s laziness and money that get in the way of people having respect and doing the right thing. They may be carcasses to one, but to another, they’re beloved beings.

Pet Cremation Service's Contract Suspended

http://www.wjla.com/news/stories/0206/299672.html

Watch the abc7 e-Video eVideo: Cremation Service Implicated in Pet Dump

Montgomery and Arlington counties have stopped using a cremation service that's been implicated in the dumping of animal carcasses from Fairfax County (website - news) .

The bodies of about 350 cats, dogs and other animals were found at two sites in West Virginia over the past month, and authorities there said some of the animals were from Virginia.

Fairfax County police have been investigating whether the company that contracts with the county's animal shelter to dispose of dead animals, Chantilly-based Family Pet Cremations, was responsible.

Montgomery County (website - news) has now suspended its contract with Family Pet Cremations after investigators determined that animals from its shelter may also have been dumped. Arlington County has already stopped working with the company.

U.S. Forest Service officials in West Virginia will determine whether anyone will face criminal charges.

In Australia too, Activists Push for Rodeo Ban

Animal rights activists push for rodeo ban

http://www.abc.net.au/worldtoday/

content/2006/s1560683.htm

The World Today - Thursday, 2 February , 2006 12:48:00

Reporter: Tim Jeanes

KAREN PERCY: Animal rights activists say they're facing increasing intimidation as they try to expose cases of animal cruelty at rodeos.

They're pushing for a nationwide ban on the popular country events, pointing to a string of recent incidents.

But the industry says it adheres to strict animal welfare guidelines and isn't aware of any intimidation.

Tim Jeanes reports.

(Sound of rodeo beginning)

TIM JEANES: As the gate opens for another rodeo competitor, opponents of rodeos are trying to shut the gates on the industry for good.

Among such opponents is Emma Haswell, from Against Animal Cruelty Tasmania, who last Saturday filmed a horse breaking its leg, with the horse having to be shot.

She says the use of clowns to create a diversion from the horse's suffering is indicative of an event that should no longer be allowed.

EMMA HASWELL: The clowns came while the horse was dying in the background behind a screen. Ten or so metres in front of that on the arena they had two clowns undressing each other and rolling around in the mud, and while that horse was dying the crowd was in hysterical laughter.

TIM JEANES: Ms Haswell says there's been a string of deaths and injuries in Australian rodeos in recent months, with what's brought to the public's attention only the tip of the iceberg.

EMMA HASWELL: You know, we've only just started filming Tasmanian rodeos. It's not that these are the first two incidents or three incidents, it's that no one's ever there to film them before. No welfare people have ever been at these events in Tasmania to record them.

TIM JEANES: So, around Australia, how prolific do you think this could be then?

EMMA HASWELL: It's huge. I mean, there are so many animals injured in rodeos. It's just something that the industry doesn't want to admit to.

TIM JEANES: Not so, says Steve Hilton, the General Manager of the Australian Professional Rodeo Association.

He says stock injuries at rodeos are miniscule, and in fact less prevalent than normal stock losses on farms.

STEVE HILTON: People pay up to $10,000 and $7,000 for a really good bucking stock, and one of the arguments is that all these stock are mistreated. Well, anybody that knows anything about livestock at all will tell you that nothing performs at its best unless it's treated well, and you know, like these… so in the interests of stock owners, they've really got to have these stock well looked after, well fed and well maintained.

TIM JEANES: Meanwhile, animal activists say they're facing increasing intimidation when trying to expose animal deaths and injuries.

Wendy Parsons is a South Australian who's a member of Animals Australia. She says her and other colleagues are starting to fear for their safety when filming at rodeos.

WENDY PARSONS: Total intimidation. I'd say probably the last six, seven, maybe even twelve months has been much more difficult to obtain footage because the industry itself is trying to prevent us from filming.

We have people standing in front of us, verbally abusing us. I was verbally abused only last week. It's very, very intimidating.

Just a week ago I had probably six to eight people, I was surrounded by them, verbally abusing me. I feared for my safety. When the security guards left us, I felt very, very nervous indeed.

TIM JEANES: The industry says it's not aware of any intimidation.

On the issue of stopping filming, Steve Hilton says rodeos sometimes contract out exclusive filming rights.

STEVE HILTON: The other thing is like it's not normal practice for any sporting event that people are running around behind the scenes filming, and a part of that is the danger side of it. Like, we actually try and keep the livestock and the public separated.

Obviously everybody knows the public liability side of these things come into it as well, and when you get radicals running around who really don't know anything about stock, who've jumped in the wrong places and been in the wrong places, they're going to get hurt.

TIM JEANES: Meanwhile, supporters of rodeos say opponents are often ill informed.

Justin Jarvis is the State Labor candidate for the South Australian country seat of Stuart.

JUSTIN JARVIS: They're people who don't understand country life, and they don't understand the way that rodeos have evolved as very important community events. They're just people who aren't in touch with people who live outside of the city.

Most of the time the people who are driving this are activists with a particular agenda, and I think it's unfortunate that other people get caught up in it as well.

KAREN PERCY: The State Labor candidate for the South Australian seat of Stuart, Justin Jarvis, ending that report from Tim Jeanes.

Selfish Wealthy Drive Illegal Trade in Wild Animals Over the Net: Poachers Get Rich and the World's Endangered Species Closer to Extinction Part II

Selfish Wealthy Consumers Drive Illegal Trade in Wild Animals Over the Internet: Poachers Get Rich and the World's Most Endangered Species Get Closer to Extinction Part II

Second posting on this subject. See part I at:

http://geari.blogspot.com/2006/02/selfish-

wealthy-drive-illegal-trade-in.html

Ah yes, the selfish rich. Again thinking their wants are more important than even life itself. Even so important as to fund poachers who kill and steal babies from their mothers.

The illegal trade in wild animal products over the internet is driving the world's most endangered species to extinction

Web trade threat to rare species

Ifaw says one site offered two-week-old tiger cubs for $1,500

The illegal trade in wild animal products over the internet is driving the world's most endangered species to extinction, wildlife campaigners claim.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/science/nature/4153726.stm

An International Fund for Animal Welfare (Ifaw) probe found 9,000 live animals or products for sale in one week on trading sites like eBay.

Ifaw claims many traders are taking advantage of the internet's anonymity.

The UK Government says it takes wildlife crime seriously, but Ifaw urged it to act urgently.

During a three month investigation, Ifaw found some of the world's most endangered species for sale online - almost all being traded illegally.

Animal parts

These included a live gorilla for sale in London and a Siberian tiger and four baby chimps on US websites.

Animal body parts included hawksbill turtle shells, shahtoosh shawls from the Tibetan antelope and taxidermy specimens of lions, and peregrine falcons - protected by British law.

Ivory items and traditional Asian remedies containing parts of endangered tigers and rhinos were common place.

The result is a cyber black market where the future of the world's rarest animals is being traded away.

Phyllis Campbell-McRae

Director IFAW UK

The report, Caught in the Web: Wildlife Trade on the Internet, said many animals were being targeted by poachers to meet the demands of wealthy consumers.

Ifaw UK director Phyllis Campbell-McRae said unscrupulous traders and sophisticated criminal gangs took advantage of the anonymity afforded by the internet.

"The result is a cyber black market where the future of the world's rarest animals is being traded away.

"This situation must be tackled immediately by governments and website owners."

'Laws exist'

Of the 9,000 animals and animal parts found for sale by the probe in its first week alone, 70% were from species protected by international law.

Ifaw wants the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra) to ensure that bans are enforced.

IFAW is warning the public not to purchase any endangered species

Professor William Dutton, director of the Oxford Internet Institute, said: "Laws exist to stop the unlawful use of any communication medium, but governments and agencies need to communicate in order to address activities that span the globe."

Endangered animals are protected under international law by the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species (CITES), but there are not enough resources to enforce it, the report said.

British native wildlife law prohibits the trade all wild birds and mammals found in the UK.

But researchers found there was a lack of understanding of the legislation. They wants Defra to provide user-friendly information on its own website.

The report urged the department to set up a hotline for easy reporting of suspicious trade.

Unlimited fines

Defra welcomed the report. Biodiversity minister Jim Knight said: "The National Wildlife Crime Intelligence Unit is working closely with internet service providers to raise awareness of wildlife controls and to enhance intelligence-gathering on wildlife crime.

"Last month, we introduced tough new penalties for people convicted of trading in endangered species, meaning they now face up to five years in prison or an unlimited fine."

He said the penalties give police stronger powers of arrest, entry, search and seizure.

The government was also consulting on plans to use powers under EC regulations to cut wildlife crime at home and abroad.

Website owners are being urged to let users report their suspicions and work more closely with government and enforcement agencies.

A spokesman for eBay said its animals policy goes beyond the law in prohibiting the sale of native and endangered species and it was working closely with the Ifaw to ensure the site remained free from illegal items.

"If we are made aware of any listing that breaks this policy, we will end the listing and may, where appropriate, forward it to the relevant law enforcement agency for action.

"We strongly encourage users to report illegal items to customer support."

Heroine Dealers Use Puppies for Profit: Six Puppies Were Found with Liquid Heroin Stitched Into their Bellies

I think the title says it all.

Unfortunately three of the puppies died as a result of infection after the drugs were removed.

Colombia smugglers 'used puppies'

Puppies found with drugs stitched into their bellies in Colombia

Six puppies were found with liquid heroin stitched into their bellies

A Colombian drugs network has been trying to smuggle heroin into the US by surgically implanting it into pedigree puppies, US drugs agents have said.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/americas/4672708.stm

In one case, 14 packets of liquid heroin were found sewn into the bellies of six Labrador puppies by a vet.

The network also allegedly used human couriers, who either swallowed or hid the drugs in a variety of containers.

The Colombian authorities, working with the US Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), have arrested 22 people.

The gang's alleged activities were revealed when local and US agents who raided a farm in Colombia found 10 puppies, six with scars on their bellies, the DEA said.

I think it's outrageous and heinous that they'd use small, innocent puppies in this way

John Gilbride

US drugs agent

Ultrasound scans revealed the packets, weighing about 3kg (7lbs) and worth some $200,000 (£113,000), inside those dogs.

Three of the puppies died as a result of infection after the drugs were removed but three survived and are said to be "alive and well".

John Gilbride, head of the DEA's New York office, said it remained unclear how many dogs may have been used by the gang.

"I think it's outrageous and heinous that they'd use small, innocent puppies in this way," he said.

"It just demonstrates what lengths drugs dealers will go to get drugs into the country."

The network, based in the Colombian city of Medellin, allegedly used puppies and other methods to transport drugs on commercial flights into New York and across the eastern US.

Heroin was also found in moisturising creams, aerosol cans, pressed into bead shapes and stitched into the lining of purses and luggage, US agents said.

The DEA, which backed the two-year investigation by the Colombian authorities, hopes to extradite some of the suspects to face charges in the US.

Colombia is the main supplier of heroin to the US.

Selfish Wealthy Drive Illegal Trade in Wild Animals Over the Net: Poachers Get Rich and the World's Endangered Species Get Closer to Extinction Part I

Selfish Wealthy Consumers Drive Illegal Trade in Wild Animals Over the Internet: Poachers Get Rich and the World's Most Endangered Species Get Closer to Extinction Part I

Ah yes, the selfish rich. Again thinking their wants are more important than even life itself. Even so important as to fund poachers who kill and steal babies from their mothers.

Article:

End rare species web trade' call

Mr Pritchard said the internet trade was a 'serious problem'

Ministers have been urged to clamp down on the illegal trade in wild animals over the internet which is driving some species to near extinction.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/politics

/4671824.stm

Tory Mark Pritchard said the "abhorrent trade" was estimated to be worth up to £3bn in the UK and £25bn worldwide.

Just by logging on, he could have purchased a leopard, a zebra, chimpanzees or an alligator, he said.

He called for the UK to take the lead in Europe to set up a code of conduct for all internet service providers.

Dead and alive animals

Introducing his Trade in Endangered Animals on the Internet Bill, Mr Pritchard told MPs: "The trade of endangered animals on the internet is a growing and serious problem.

"Independent commentators estimate that the trade is worth up to £25bn globally and up to £3bn involving UK websites and consumers.

We do not know where the animals involved in such sales come from, how they are transported, or the conditions in which they are kept

Mark Pritchard

"Those large figures include both live and dead animals and animal products."

In August, 2005, the International Fund for Animal Welfare (IFAW) found that 9,000 endangered live animals were being offered for sale online in one week.

That same research found that 146 primates were available for sale, illegally, in the UK.

"All the animals were endangered, and all were being traded through UK-registered websites," he said.

"We do not know where the animals involved in such sales come from, how they are transported, or the conditions in which they are kept."

Legal desk

Mr Pritchard said a phone or e-mail hotline was needed so that illegal activity could be reported to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs.

That information could then be shared with wildlife officers and the police, he said.

A legal helpdesk could also be set up to give people advice about the law.

But Mr Pritchard said the "best and most immediate way" to deal with the illegal trade was to establish a code of conduct for all ISPs and those involved in the internet market place "to ensure that they do not facilitate the sale of endangered animals, directly or indirectly, through their products and services".

The bill, which has cross-party backing, is unlikely to become law without government support.

Pennsylvania Game Commission Yesterday Announced Not Just a Record Bear Kill But One That Exceeded The State's Previous All-Time Record By 35 Percent

Pennsylvania Game Commission Yesterday Announced Not Just a Record Bear Kill But One That Exceeded The State's Previous All-Time Record By a Whopping 35 Percent. - from article below.

Wow! A whopping 35 percent. Think they’re happy?!! Seems so. I bet the bears aren’t. 4,164 bears killed. Wow, never seen such happiness over such a large number of animals killed. Think they’re sick?! You bet!

Let’s hope New Jersey doesn’t follow their lead.

Penna. announces a record bear kill

http://www.philly.com/mld/philly

/news/13771176.htm

By Don Sapatkin

Inquirer Staff Writer

While New Jersey continues to debate whether hunting black bears is ethical or necessary, the Pennsylvania Game Commission yesterday announced not just a record bear kill but one that exceeded the state's previous all-time record by a whopping 35 percent.

Under the headline "Pennsylvania hunters post incredible bear harvest record," the agency said the official final tally for the two seasons - three days before Thanksgiving statewide plus six days after Thanksgiving in designated areas - was 4,164.

The previous record of 3,075 was set in 2000, before extended seasons were added in more than a dozen counties, mainly in the northeast, where wildlife biologists believed extra measures were needed to control surging bear populations.

Pennsylvania has held bear hunts in 96 of the last 100 years, and game commission officials said opposition is rare. New Jersey, by contrast, held its first, highly controversial bear hunt in more than three decades in 2003, after wildlife biologists concluded it was the best way to reverse the growth in bear populations in northwestern counties.

Numerous protests and lawsuits filed by animal-rights groups led to a cancellation of the Garden State hunt in 2004, and then a reinstatement - cleared at the last minute by the state Supreme Court - in 2005. December's six-day hunt resulted in a preliminary harvest total of 298 statewide.

The tug of war is likely to continue as bear-hunting bills await action in Trenton and Gov. Corzine sets policy of all kinds, including those involving animals and hunting.

"We see this as a new day for the administration on these issues," said Michael Markarian, executive vice president of the Humane Society of the United States, a leader in the bear-hunt fight. He quickly produced a partial transcript from a September gubernatorial debate that quoted Corzine as saying: "I'm actually not in favor of bear hunts based on the scientific information I've seen... ."

Asked for comment, a spokeswoman for the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection, which oversees hunting and wildlife issues, said last night that it was too soon to respond.

Pa. Bear Harvest

Of the 4,164 black bears harvested in Pennsylvania in November-December:

• 47 were shot by women.

• 12 died by handgun.*

• 9 by bow and arrow.*

• The biggest weighed 733 pounds.

• 17 weighed 600 pounds or more.

• 131 were in Southeastern Pennsylvania.**

• 100 or more were killed in each of 18 counties.

* Full breakdown: rifle (4,107), shotgun (15), muzzleloader (15), handgun (12), bow (9), unknown (6).

** Schuylkill, Dauphin, Berks, Lehigh, Lebanon and Northampton Counties.

SOURCE: Pa. Game Commission

Dogs, Drugs Seized From House: More on the Lovely Life and People of Dog Fighting

Need I say more?

Dogs, Drugs Seized From House

http://www.tbo.com/news/metro/

MGBV0MZD6JE.html

By MIKE WELLS mwells@tampatrib.com

Published: Feb 2, 2006

THONOTOSASSA - An anonymous tip led Hillsborough County investigators Wednesday to dogs they think were used for illegal fighting and a hydroponic marijuana operation in rural Thonotosassa, officials said.

The call came Monday and resulted in a search warrant executed at 7713 Muddy Water Trail by Hillsborough County Department of Animal Services investigators Ken Vetzel and Loretta Bradley and the sheriff's office.

Authorities seized eight adult pit bulls, four puppy pit bulls and two catahoula leopard puppies. Five of the adults bore injuries from fights, and one female showed signs of overbreeding and had an eye infection, Animal Services spokeswoman Marti Ryan said.

The adult dogs will be euthanized because they were aggressive with other animals and toward people, Ryan said. The puppies will be checked for disease and aggression before their fate is decided.

Officers found three dog skulls in a wooded area near the home, Ryan said. Many of the dogs were chained to doghouses, and others were kept in outdoor pens.

Investigators also seized two cows, several chickens and a cat. None appeared to be underfed, Ryan said.

Inside the home, authorities found 107 marijuana plants, two rifles and equipment commonly used in dogfighting, including a treadmill and a medical kit to treat cuts and scrapes, Ryan said.

The drugs weighed about 7 pounds, sheriff's spokeswoman Debbie Carter said.

No one had been charged in connection with the drugs or animals late Wednesday.

Following Scotland’s Lead, New Law Before English Parliament Will Give Pets Own Bill of Rights

Amazing development. Will really lead to other countries adopting similar measures. This comes just after Scotland is close to adopting a similar law. See: http://geari.blogspot.com/2006/02/by-july-

dogs-cats-and-other-domestic.html

“The freedoms include appropriate diet, suitable living conditions, companionship or solitude as appropriate, monitoring for abnormal behaviour and protection from pain, suffering, injury and disease.

Pets will be entitled to a proper diet and living conditions and protection from pain and disease.

Titled the Animal Welfare Bill.

Animal law will give pets their own 'bill of rights'

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/main.jhtml?

xml=/news/2006/01/31/npets31.xml&sSheet=

/news/2006/01/31/ixhome.html

By Sally Pook

(Filed: 31/01/2006)

Pets are to be given five "freedoms" under new legislation before Parliament that aims to raise the standards of welfare by fining or jailing owners who neglect their animals.

The freedoms include appropriate diet, suitable living conditions, companionship or solitude as appropriate, monitoring for abnormal behaviour and protection from pain, suffering, injury and disease.

Kittens

Pets will be entitled to a proper diet and living conditions and protection from pain and disease

They are contained in the Animal Welfare Bill, which is expected to clear Parliament in the next few months and creates a new offence of deliberately neglecting the welfare of a pet.

Owners could be fined up to £5,000 or given a prison sentence if a pet is kept in such a way that will inevitably lead to suffering in the future. This is a significant shift from existing law, where action can only be taken against an owner if an animal is suffering.

Once the Bill becomes law, secondary legislation could be introduced creating codes of conduct for different types of pet. An 18-page cat code has been drawn up as an example.

A spokesman for the Department for the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs denied that the Bill was another example of the nanny state and said the codes would be advisory.

"It won't be a case of people breaking the door down because the dog missed its meal," he said. "The vast majority of owners and animal-keepers in this country are totally responsible and will not notice this law."

Defra already has farm animal codes that do not lay down laws but advise owners on good practice and conditions for their animals. Owners cannot be prosecuted for not complying with a code, but the codes may be used to assist in determining whether or not an offence has been committed.

"The Bill is about ensuring pet owners understand that they have a duty of care towards their charges," said the spokesman. "It is aimed at the few who do not understand or care about the welfare of their animals."

The new offence will be enforced by local authority inspectors or police and does not give extra powers to the Royal Society for the Protection of Animals. The Bill also bans the docking of dogs' tails and pets being won as prizes for anyone aged under 16. It increases from 12 to 16 the minimum age at which a child may buy a pet.

Defra says the Bill is the most significant animal welfare legislation for nearly a century.

spook@telegraph.co.uk

By July, Dogs, Cats and Other Domestic Pets May Have a 5-Point Charter Guaranteeing Animal Rights In Scotland

A huge development. It definitely will affect different nations. Shows a real understanding of the needs for such a law. Also shows just how far behind the US is in terms of animal welfare.

“The bill would make it mandatory for pet owners to provide a suitable environment, a suitable diet, allow pets to exhibit normal behavior patterns, be housed with, or apart from, other animals and be protected from suffering, injury and disease.

The bill, which amends laws dating back to 1912, will ensure that only people over 16 can be responsible for animals and creates an offense of causing an animal to suffer unnecessarily, The Scotsman reported Tuesday.”

Scottish pets to get charter of rights

http://www.upi.com/NewsTrack/view.php?

StoryID=20060131-013940-1669r

EDINBURGH, Scotland, Jan. 31 (UPI) -- By July, dogs, cats and other domestic pets will have a 5-point charter guaranteeing animal rights under a bill moving through Scotland's parliament.

The bill would make it mandatory for pet owners to provide a suitable environment, a suitable diet, allow pets to exhibit normal behavior patterns, be housed with, or apart from, other animals and be protected from suffering, injury and disease.

The bill, which amends laws dating back to 1912, will ensure that only people over 16 can be responsible for animals and creates an offense of causing an animal to suffer unnecessarily, The Scotsman reported Tuesday.

A government spokeswoman said brochures containing the cat and dog codes, which will be available in veterinarians' offices and public libraries, would be a minor part of the $450,000 allocated for publicizing the animal welfare measures.

Though Never a Documented Case of Bison-To-Cattle Transmission Of Brucellosis In The Wild Officials Yellowstone Corral And Ship Bison to Slaughter

They say they’ve stopped for now. But they’ll be doing it again soon.

Even more so, it seems brucellosis isn’t the real concern. They usually don’t’ even test the bison for the disease before sending to slaughter. From the article below:

“Under that plan, the park said 673 bison were captured at the Stephens Creek facility. Most of those - 583 - were sent to slaughter without first being tested for brucellosis. Another 87, calves that tested negative, were sent to a research site north of Yellowstone, while three bison died at the capture site, the park said.”

Gee, I wonder what their real motives are.

Park suspends bison capturing

http://www.billingsgazette.com/index.php?

display=rednews/2006/01/31/build/

wyoming/45-bison-capturing.inc

By BECKY BOHRER

Associated Press

Authorities at Yellowstone National Park have closed, for now, the corral-like capture facility near the park's northern edge where nearly 700 wandering bison had been held this month.

Park spokesman Al Nash said officials could reopen the Stephen's Creek site later, pending bison movement and the success of efforts to push wandering animals further into the park.

Authorities began captures Jan. 11 and closed the facility late Friday, Nash said. This winter was the first since 2003-04 that the site was operated, the park said. Nash said the number of bison sent to slaughter so far this year appears to be the highest, and certainly the most since the winter of 1996-97.

Nash said officials decided to ship bison to slaughter, instead of holding them longer-term, for fear of habituating the animals to people and feed.

"The fact is, we're not managing, and don't want to manage, a captive bison herd," he said Monday.

Josh Osher, of the activist Buffalo Field Campaign, dismissed this: "They probably just wanted to clean out the facility and get it ready for the next round of captures."

Wandering bison worry ranchers and livestock officials in Montana, because many of the park's bison have brucellosis. The disease can cause cows to abort, and having it spread to cattle could cost the state its brucellosis-free status. Animal rights activists have argued that there hasn't been a documented case of bison-to-cattle transmission of brucellosis in the wild, and that the plan that allows for bison to be hazed or captured to prevent the potential spread is flawed.

Under that plan, the park said 673 bison were captured at the Stephens Creek facility. Most of those - 583 - were sent to slaughter without first being tested for brucellosis. Another 87, calves that tested negative, were sent to a research site north of Yellowstone, while three bison died at the capture site, the park said.

The population estimate heading into the winter was 4,900 bison.

Groups such as Osher's and the Greater Yellowstone Coalition advocate greater tolerance for migrating bison outside the park. They see what's happened so far this winter as an opportunity to press for changes to the state-federal management plan that allows for the hazing, capture or slaughter of bison. Gov. Brian Schweitzer already has shown an openness to changes.

"I'm hopeful that what has occurred over the last several weeks will give us all pause and encourage us all to seek a better solution," said Amy McNamara, the national parks program director for the Greater Yellowstone Coalition.

ASPCA Pledges $3.7 Million To Help The Louisiana SPCA Keep Its Animal Shelter Afloat And Provide Money To Replace Damaged Facilities from Katrina

ASPCA Pledges $3.7 Million To Help The Louisiana SPCA Of New Orleans Keep Its Animal Shelter And Other Operations Afloat And Provide Money To Replace Its Facilities That Were Destroyed During Hurricane Katrina

Good news.

Donation comes to the aid of animal rescue group

N.O. SPCA can now rebuild its facility

http://www.timespicayune.com

Tuesday, January 31, 2006

By Paul Purpura

West Bank bureau

Saying it is impressed with the work of the Louisiana SPCA, a national organization has pledged $3.7 million to help the cash-starved New Orleans group keep its animal shelter and other operations afloat and provide money to replace its facilities that were destroyed during Hurricane Katrina, the groups announced Monday.

The money comes from donors to the American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals, and $2 million will be earmarked for two years for the Louisiana SPCA's operational costs, said Laura Maloney, the executive director for the New Orleans private nonprofit group.

"This means we can keep our doors open and continue serving the community," Maloney said at the group's temporary home near Algiers Point.

Another $1 million capital campaign pledge will be used to replace the local SPCA's Japonica Street shelter, clinic and office, which were destroyed by the Aug. 29 hurricane, and the national SPCA has pledged $50,000 for a new animal control vehicle, she said.

The Louisiana SPCA, which depends largely on private donations, lost many of its donors since the storm. It is temporarily leasing an Algiers warehouse for $16,700 per month, while assessing what it will do to replace the Japonica Street location, Maloney said.

The $2 million pledge will help sustain the group's spay and neuter operations, educational programs and staff but cannot be used for the agency's animal-control function, Maloney said. The Louisiana SPCA is the animal-control agency for New Orleans, which pays for those functions.

Donors nationwide have given money specifically to help Katrina-ravaged areas, said Julie Morris, senior vice president for the ASPCA's National Shelter Outreach program, adding that the New York-based group is impressed with the work the New Orleans agency has done since the hurricane. The ASPCA and the Louisiana group are separate entities.

"It's just been awesome the work that they've done, and if we can help, we're just delighted," Morris said. "It's been our pleasure to help."

Maloney said Kate Pullen, an animal sheltering expert for the ASPCA, has deployed to New Orleans from Washington, D.C., for the next two years to help the local agency restructure its programs. Maloney called Pullen's assistance "truly the silver lining for us."

In preparing for Katrina, the Louisiana SPCA evacuated the 263 animals at Japonica Street, and after the storm, its workers and volunteers from across the nation began rescuing pets left behind from 7,000 locations throughout the city, Maloney said. More than 8,500 animals were rescued after the storm with the help of outside agencies, she said.

"This has been a national effort, and this country has come to New Orleans' aid," Maloney said.

On Monday, Maloney also announced that the stray animal population in New Orleans has been greatly reduced from its pre-Katrina level; in 2003, an estimated 26,000 animals were roaming the streets.

While a current stray estimate was not released, Maloney said the reduction is based on a recent 10-day trapping campaign, in which 350 traps set in New Orleans captured only 21 dogs. That result bolsters the findings of a study done in November, which suggested there are fewer stray dogs in the city since Katrina.

"We're proud to announce the situation is better now than it was before," Maloney said, conceding that some strays probably died in the storm.

The SPCA plans to resume its adoption program at the Algiers site, 701 Thayer St., on Feb. 14, Maloney said. Also, in about a month, the group will begin issuing vouchers to people for spay or neutering services offered by participating veterinarians, Maloney said.

Both programs were brought to a halt when the SPCA lost its clinic on Japonica Street.

More Proof of the Cruelty of Dog Sledging (Dog Sledding): Ego Maniac Leaves Dogs to Die and Starves the Rest on Trip from France to Russia

What an idiot. Just a pure ego move. Consider the following facts and then you tell me if he was prepared and, if the dogs aren’t suffering:

“The huskies are in an extremely bad condition, with legs covered in blood up to their knees. Three of the 10 animals could not continue the trip and had to be left along the way. The dry feed they receive is not nourishing enough in temperatures that reach 50 C below zero, Vita said.

When the dogs were offered hay to lie on during a stop in the city of Tomsk, the animals started eating it hungrily, bringing witnesses to tears, said a letter that Tomsk citizens sent to Vita.”

Russian Animal Rights Group Cites Famous French Traveler’s Cruelty

http://www.mosnews.com/news/2006/01/31/badnicolas.shtml

French traveler Nicolas Vanier, who is crossing Russia in a dog-drawn sledge, is behaving cruelly towards his dogs, Russian Vita animal rights organization reported Tuesday.

Vanier is now in the middle of his journey that started in December in Irkutsk and will finish on Moscow’s Red Square in March. But witnesses say the Frenchman, who is traveling across Russia in a sledge drawn by 10 dogs, may not be able to get to the final stage if he continues to treat his carrier animals as he does now.

The huskies are in an extremely bad condition, with legs covered in blood up to their knees. Three of the 10 animals could not continue the trip and had to be left along the way. The dry feed they receive is not nourishing enough in temperatures that reach 50 C below zero, Vita said.

When the dogs were offered hay to lie on during a stop in the city of Tomsk, the animals started eating it hungrily, bringing witnesses to tears, said a letter that Tomsk citizens sent to Vita.

Vita said either Vanier has insufficient experience with dogs, or he has chosen the route badly, as his huskies can run well in the snow, but cannot run over the ice that they have to cross.

Vita expressed serious doubts whether an expedition that results in the painful death of animals can serve as means of environmental education, the way Vanier’s voyage was meant to.

Teen Steals Dogs from Shelter in Order to Make Money off of Dog Fights.

Again, more on the evils of dog fighting.

Teen charged in theft of dogs

One allegedly used in fight was so badly hurt it had to be put down

http://www.timesunion.com/AspStories/story.asp?storyID=445444

By DANIELLE FURFARO, Staff writer

Click byline for more stories by writer.

First published: Tuesday, January 31, 2006

COLONIE -- A Cohoes teenager is facing charges that he stole two pit bulls from the Mohawk & Hudson River Humane Society and allegedly used one of them in a dog fight.

The dog used for fighting was later found on a street in Rensselaer and was so severely injured that it had to be euthanized, Menands Police Chief Michael O'Brien said.

Michael R. Sumner, 17, of Kosciusko Avenue in Cohoes, was arrested Sunday after a police investigation and charged with one count of burglary, a felony, as well as one count of criminal mischief and two counts of petit larceny, all misdemeanors.

O'Brien said Sumner broke into the shelter on two occasions. On Jan. 18, he allegedly stole a 3-year-old female pit bull named Momma, and on the night of Jan. 22, authorities said, he returned and stole Archie, a 3-year-old male pit bull/American bulldog that was found less than two days later lying on a street in Rensselaer.

The animal had bite marks across his body and injuries to his intestines that were so severe that Archie was brought to the East Greenbush Animal Hospital, where doctors determined they had to euthanize the animal.

"He was just a big galoot, waiting for rescue," said Cydney Cross, manager of the Mohawk & Hudson River Humane Society. "The greatest crime was that he was just a heavy, goofy dog, and the person who took him thought he would be a fighting dog. These dogs do not choose to do this."

After police located Sumner, the other dog -- Momma -- was found unharmed in Rensselaer and returned to the shelter. Cross said she believes Sumner wanted to use Momma to breed pit bull pups.

After the first burglary in which Momma was stolen, Cross said Sumner showed up at the shelter, claiming to be looking for his father's dog. He was shown a number of animals and told shelter employees that Archie was the dog he was looking for. But since he did not have proof of ownership, the shelter would not let him take the dog, Cross said.

That weekend, Archie turned up missing.

The same day Archie was euthanized, his owner, an Albany man who said he had lost Archie, showed up to claim him and was told what happened.

"The poor young man was in tears," Cross said. "He kept saying, 'Why did they have to do this to my dog?' "

Rensselaer police are investigating to see if additional charges of dog fighting or animal cruelty can be lodged against Sumner in that municipality and who else was involved.

Sumner is being held in the Albany County jail in lieu of $2,500 bail.

More on the Evils of Breeding Dogs and Dog Fighting: 43 Dogs Bread to Fight Have Euthanized

Again, the evils of breeding and dog fighting.

BARTOW, FL.

Animal Control Kills 43 Dogs

Polk County Animal Control workers have euthanized 43 of the 139 dogs seized last week after a Mulberry man was charged with breeding the animals to fight, the Sheriff's Office said.

Deputies found the dogs, including some puppies, emaciated and malnourished at a home on Pump Road southwest of Mulberry.

Hewitt Grant, 38, who lived at the home, was arrested. He has been charged with 19 counts of felony animal cruelty and more than 50 misdemeanor counts of animal cruelty.

Grant posted $47,000 bail and was released Saturday, according to jail records.

Scientists fear unusual weather behind massive seabird die-off

Not good. Not good at all.

http://seattlepi.nwsource.com/local/257515_

deadbirds30.html?source=mypi