According to 2011 statistics from the Humane Society of the U.S., every eight seconds a dog or cat is killed in a shelter in the United States. This means that four million potentially adoptable animals die each year because there are not enough responsible adopters and homes available. Many of the innocents that will be destroyed are not just unfortunate abandoned and unsterilized strays left to endlessly reproduce but the off-spring of beloved companion animals of families who didn’t have them spayed or neutered; the excuses are many and the majority hard to defend.
 This year the much dreaded kitten season was late because of the unpredictable weather and hopes were high that it was an indication that the number of kittens born would be far fewer. Unfortunately, the weather cycle more or less righted itself, and with warmer temperatures, the heat cycles of female cats also normalized. The temperate conditions have resulted in the time worn problem of too many kittens coming into a world already overcrowded with cats. Needless to say, it is not a happy time. Cats give birth, flooding already strained animal shelters across the nation with countless litters.
The number of cats that can be born during this period is staggering and they add to the already existing vast number of cats who will end up in animal shelters where an appalling number will die. This is the just tip of the iceberg because the statistics do not take into account those that don't make it into shelters. Too many cats fight for survival on the streets, more often than not, dying young from injuries, disease and starvation.
"In every community in the nation, there is an over-abundance of unsterilized cats, both owned and un-owned, and a frenzy of mating takes place each year," states the Humane Society of the United States.
Tremendous as the problem of cat overpopulation is, it can be greatly reduced if each of us takes just one small step, starting with not allowing our own animals to breed. Our unaltered animals that are allowed to roam free or occasionally spend unattended time outside will predictably have the opportunity to mate. Driven by their hormones, they will look for any chance to find mates, eventually resulting in hundreds and even thousands of cats with few opportunities of getting a decent home.
It's not a happy time for shelter staff either. Many shelters are faced with limited space, time and resources. When adoptions are low and rescues limit the number they can reasonably re-home, they are forced to handle the onerous task of killing animals that could become wonderful and loving family members. During kitten season, adult shelter cats are overlooked by potential adopters. They are the first to be endangered by the influx of lively and charming youngsters. When the shelter population grows too large for the facility, the disease and stress levels rise with it. The ability of a limited staff to adequately care for the large number of animals can result in outbreaks of disease, suffering and death of otherwise adoptable animals The best way to help reduce the number of cats - and dogs- is by taking responsibility to make sure your "pet" does not contribute to the tragedy. Become a spay/neuter advocate and educate your friends and neighbors about the terrible problem. Recommended solutions: Spay or neuter your cats - Don't put this off! Kittens as young as two months and weighing two pounds can be safely altered. Care for homeless or wild cats in your area Work with your local animal control or feral cat group to help limit your neighborhood's feral and stray cat population. Feral cat caretakers who Trap/Neuter/Release (TNR) are an important part of the solution. Become a foster parent Contact your local shelter or rescue group to learn more about becoming a foster parent for cats or kittens in need. Adopt Open your home to new cat or adopt a playmate for your existing cat. There are clinics and financial assistance programs in many areas to spay/neuter companion animals and feral cats:
SPAY USA 1-800-SPAY
Ohlone Humane Society (510)792-4587 ForPaws S/N Clinic (510)573-4660
East Bay SPCA (510) 510-639-7387
Animal Birth Control Assistance (408) 244-8351
Tri-Valley SPCA (925)479-9674
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Tri-City Voice article by Nancy Lyon, President, Ohlone Humane Society.
Photo's courtesy of: www.dreamstime.com |
Tuesday, August 21, 2012
Cats make kittens make cats make kittens...
Friday, August 3, 2012
When the Greatest Show on Earth…isn’t
In California a growing coalition of humane societies and SPCAs have come together in response to charges of animal abuse by the Ringling Brothers and Barnum & Bailey Circus. They are calling for a public boycott of upcoming performances because of the circus’ use of cruel bullhooks, prods, and shackles on animals that are used in what is billed as the ‘Greatest Show on Earth.’
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Responding to concerns and documentation from animal protection agencies, the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) conducted a year-long investigation of charges leveled at the circus. Over a dozen investigations of Feld Entertainment, Inc., the corporation that owns Ringling Bros. Circus, surfaced evidence supporting the allegations yet regulators did not immediately act on the findings of abuse. A former head of the animal care unit in the USDA's Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service said that with a limited budget, the agency was unable to prosecute many cases.
Pressured by reports from animal welfare agencies of continuing abuse of treatment of the circus animals, the USDA brought charges against Feld in March of 2012. While Feld never admitted that Ringling Brothers Circus was guilty of cruel methods to make animals in its care perform, they settled out of court which resulted in an unheard of civil penalty of a fine of $270,000 for violating the federal Animal Welfare Act. Ironically, as part of the settlement, the company admits no wrongdoing or violation of USDA policy.
The boycott, spearheaded by the Marin Humane Society currently includes Palo Alto Humane Society, Ohlone Humane Society, East Bay SPCA, Peninsula Humane Society & SPCA, Bakersfield SPCA, Humane Society Silicon Valley, Humane Society of Ventura County, Pasadena Humane Society & SPCA, Sacramento SPCA, San Francisco SPCA, Santa Cruz SPCA, Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals -Los Angeles, Sonoma Humane Society, and the SPCA for Monterey County. The number of humane organizations signing on is growing still.
The humane coalition states: “The use of animals as circus performers is an outdated—and inhumane—concept. Behind the scenes trainers often use whips, bullhooks, electric prods and other painful tools and methods to force animals to perform tricks. When not performing, animals are kept in small, cramped cages for days at a time with little monitoring. Exotic animals that have special husbandry needs are often kept in violation of the federal Animal Welfare Act (AWA). Elephants that travel with circuses spend hours in transit and in chains. Circuses train animals through such coercive means as beating, whipping, prodding and shocking. Elephants are subject to abusive handling methods from devices known as bullhooks that can puncture and tear sensitive skin.”
Performing animals such as elephants and other wild animals, by their very nature, do not willingly perform stunts. While some positive training methods are used and some efforts are made on their behalf, the abnormal circus feats are too often produced through fear of the mistreatment that refusal of performing brings. The animals lead lives that offer little toward even a minimum quality of life so important to their individual species, their living conditions often running afoul of AWA regulations.
Animals such as elephants are first and foremost wild animals that can and have cracked under the strain of intense captivity and mistreatment. There have been highly publicized incidents when spectators and circus workers have been seriously injured and killed regardless of training. Incidents of this kind bring to light not only the suffering endured by performing wild animals but that they can and have become dangerous when they reached a breaking point.
The humane coalition asks that the public not attend performances that support the misuse and abuse of wild and exotic animals. They are asking people to not attend circuses with performing animals that send the wrong message, especially to children, since wild animals are living beings and are not meant to be exploited for entertainment purposes.
Ringling Brothers has performances scheduled in Anaheim, Bakersfield, Oakland, San Diego, San Jose and Stockton throughout July, August and September. Because of the company’s routine abuse of animals, it is requested that the public not support this cruelty by not attending any of the performances.
Instead consider the many exciting and amazing circuses that do not use and/or abuse animals, such as Cirque du Soleil, the San Francisco-based New Pickle Circus, the Moscow State Circus and many more, all with entertaining performances that rival and surpass those using animals.
For an extensive list of Animal-Free/No-Animal circuses check the Born Free USA website – bornfreeusa.org.
*****
Tri-City Voice article by Nancy Lyon, President, Ohlone Humane Society.
Photo's courtesy of: www.dreamstime.com
.jpg)
Responding to concerns and documentation from animal protection agencies, the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) conducted a year-long investigation of charges leveled at the circus. Over a dozen investigations of Feld Entertainment, Inc., the corporation that owns Ringling Bros. Circus, surfaced evidence supporting the allegations yet regulators did not immediately act on the findings of abuse. A former head of the animal care unit in the USDA's Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service said that with a limited budget, the agency was unable to prosecute many cases.Pressured by reports from animal welfare agencies of continuing abuse of treatment of the circus animals, the USDA brought charges against Feld in March of 2012. While Feld never admitted that Ringling Brothers Circus was guilty of cruel methods to make animals in its care perform, they settled out of court which resulted in an unheard of civil penalty of a fine of $270,000 for violating the federal Animal Welfare Act. Ironically, as part of the settlement, the company admits no wrongdoing or violation of USDA policy.
The boycott, spearheaded by the Marin Humane Society currently includes Palo Alto Humane Society, Ohlone Humane Society, East Bay SPCA, Peninsula Humane Society & SPCA, Bakersfield SPCA, Humane Society Silicon Valley, Humane Society of Ventura County, Pasadena Humane Society & SPCA, Sacramento SPCA, San Francisco SPCA, Santa Cruz SPCA, Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals -Los Angeles, Sonoma Humane Society, and the SPCA for Monterey County. The number of humane organizations signing on is growing still.
The humane coalition states: “The use of animals as circus performers is an outdated—and inhumane—concept. Behind the scenes trainers often use whips, bullhooks, electric prods and other painful tools and methods to force animals to perform tricks. When not performing, animals are kept in small, cramped cages for days at a time with little monitoring. Exotic animals that have special husbandry needs are often kept in violation of the federal Animal Welfare Act (AWA). Elephants that travel with circuses spend hours in transit and in chains. Circuses train animals through such coercive means as beating, whipping, prodding and shocking. Elephants are subject to abusive handling methods from devices known as bullhooks that can puncture and tear sensitive skin.”
Performing animals such as elephants and other wild animals, by their very nature, do not willingly perform stunts. While some positive training methods are used and some efforts are made on their behalf, the abnormal circus feats are too often produced through fear of the mistreatment that refusal of performing brings. The animals lead lives that offer little toward even a minimum quality of life so important to their individual species, their living conditions often running afoul of AWA regulations.
Animals such as elephants are first and foremost wild animals that can and have cracked under the strain of intense captivity and mistreatment. There have been highly publicized incidents when spectators and circus workers have been seriously injured and killed regardless of training. Incidents of this kind bring to light not only the suffering endured by performing wild animals but that they can and have become dangerous when they reached a breaking point.
The humane coalition asks that the public not attend performances that support the misuse and abuse of wild and exotic animals. They are asking people to not attend circuses with performing animals that send the wrong message, especially to children, since wild animals are living beings and are not meant to be exploited for entertainment purposes.
Ringling Brothers has performances scheduled in Anaheim, Bakersfield, Oakland, San Diego, San Jose and Stockton throughout July, August and September. Because of the company’s routine abuse of animals, it is requested that the public not support this cruelty by not attending any of the performances.
Instead consider the many exciting and amazing circuses that do not use and/or abuse animals, such as Cirque du Soleil, the San Francisco-based New Pickle Circus, the Moscow State Circus and many more, all with entertaining performances that rival and surpass those using animals.
For an extensive list of Animal-Free/No-Animal circuses check the Born Free USA website – bornfreeusa.org.
*****
Tri-City Voice article by Nancy Lyon, President, Ohlone Humane Society.
Photo's courtesy of: www.dreamstime.com
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