Nisha Hayes, the oldest kid (now 16) who was part of the gang accused of using a pit bull in a violent attack against two women, has pleaded guilty to charges of second-degree assault, third-degree assault and minor in possession of liquor.
Here is an account of the attack. And please pay close attention to her [...]

Since Michael Vick, dog killer and convicted felon was reinstated to the NFL and signed by the Eagles, peoples’ reactions have ranged from anger and outrage to the “get over it” and “he’s paid his dues” attitudes.  Many people want to just forget and move on and even now the outrage is dying down as [...]

I have a friend who collects cows. Little, ceramic, black and white cows. One time she and I were driving somewhere and went by a dairy.

“I love cows!” she says. “Aren’t they cute?”

Imagine my surprise when I recently mentioned that since she loves cows, she might, as a California resident, want to call the Governor and encourage him to sign S.B. 135, which bans dairies from docking the tails of dairy cows — a procedure done without any concern for the pain of the animals and without benefit to their value as “production units.”

She said, “Oh, how sad! But it must be necessary or they wouldn’t do it.”

Um, no.

Here’s what the AVMA says about the practice:

The AVMA opposes routine tail docking of cattle. Current scientific literature indicates that routine tail docking provides no benefit to the animal, and that tail docking can lead to distress during fly seasons. When medically necessary, amputation of tails must be performed by a licensed veterinarian.

Bailey Norwood, a professor of agricultural economics of Oklahoma State , writes:

The California legislature recently passed a bill to ban the docking of dairy cattle tails. I was surprised when I read that over 80% of dairy farms in a study used tail docking, as I had worked on two dairies when I was young and was completely unaware that anyone did this.

A few months ago I spent time trying to find out why people were docking tails, and I could not identify any reason other than the nuisance of dealing with tails when milking. I could not find any health reason for doing so.

The only people who seem to have a problem with this bill are those who automatically oppose anything supported by the Humane Society of the United States, and those who believe animals on industrial farms aren’t anything more than machinery, and as an “owned object” may be treated in any way that makes the food they produce as inexpensivee as possible, no matter the cost to the animals, the environment and the quality and safety of the food produced.

I disagree. I think the true costs of factory-farmed food is never factored in, which means I support sweeping changes to the practice of industrial agriculture.

But this isn’t even the case here. There’s NO REASON why dairy cows can’t keep their tails, so let’s at least let them have that.  Not only should they not be subjected to their tails removed without pain-management, but also they need their tails to keep themselves comfortable.

If you “love cows” — even if only in a cute ceramic form — have a heart. Ask the Governor to sign SB 135 —email or call (916-445-2841) today.

From VIN News, color us so not surprised:

More than two years after the largest pet-food recall in history, federal investigators maintain that the Food and Drug Administration did not do its job properly.

What’s more, FDA lacks the statutory authority to impose recalls and penalize companies for recall violations — a lack of power that worked against the agency in 2007, as officials attempted to crack down on melamine-laced pet food products now linked to the deaths and illnesses of thousands of dogs and cats.

The assessment comes from the Office of Inspector General’s (OIG) audit of FDA’s role in the 2007 pet food recall, a scandal that involved 60-million containers of pet food in the United States, most manufactured by Menu Foods Limited and sold under 95 brand names. The report, requested by Iowa Sen. Tom Harkin, chairman of the Senate Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition and Forestry, makes a series of recommendations for strengthening FDA’s recall authority and improving its effectiveness in monitoring food recalls.

Read the rest.  Heckuva job, Brownie.

It’s rude, it’s crude and it is just wrong on SO MANY levels. Maybe your dog humps guests that visit your home. Perhaps he’s humping random passersby on the street. It’s possible the victims are as innocent as couch pillows, doggy toys or your favorite chair.

It’s rude, it’s crude and it is just wrong on SO MANY levels. Maybe your dog humps guests that visit your home. Perhaps he’s humping random passersby on the street. It’s possible the victims are as innocent as couch pillows, doggy toys or your favorite chair.

One of the biggest problems that dog owners face is when their dogs jump on visiting guests. You know the scenario. The doorbell rings and your dog goes CRAZY, jumping on top of whoever enters. In this article you’ll learn how to combat this problem and stop your dog from jumping on people once and for all.

One of the biggest problems that dog owners face is when their dogs jump on visiting guests. You know the scenario. The doorbell rings and your dog goes CRAZY, jumping on top of whoever enters. In this article you’ll learn how to combat this problem and stop your dog from jumping on people once and for all.

Everyone wants their dog to behave nicely when walking on lead, but instead end up trailing along behind their dogs, like an anchor behind a wayward boat in a storm. If you are tired of being pulled along by your dog, here are some tips to help you put yourself back in control.

Everyone wants their dog to behave nicely when walking on lead, but instead end up trailing along behind their dogs, like an anchor behind a wayward boat in a storm. If you are tired of being pulled along by your dog, here are some tips to help you put yourself back in control.