NYC shelters

Animal shelters in New York City have undergone a lot of adjustments because of new funding and animal activists to keep healthy alive longer. This has been raised as a high priority problem because an exceptional amount of times that healthy, non-violent dogs have been euthanized after just one week. If these animals had proper laws and funding, puppies, and dogs would have a much higher chance at a real life.

There are so many ways to help shelters that there is little to no excuse for the city to do so. The strategies begin very simply. Advertising and really pushing adoption over buying dogs and giving benefits to adopting dogs. A lot of people have the misconception that they cannot adopt a pure breed, and shelters only have mixed breeds without any family histories.This isn’t the case! Although it’s more common to find a mixed breed shelters do have pure breeds and people need to just search a little harder for them. Shelters serve as a haven for dogs and puppies that have been strayed, or neglected. So they were probably previously owned and sometimes even bought from breeders. I’m not saying buying from a breeder is a bad idea or dog owners should feel guilty because sometimes its very tough to find a pure bred but I do believe strongly that dog owners should put the effort in before going to a breeder.

Another reason is if someone wants a brand new puppy and they believe that shelters only have dogs and there must be something wrong with them if no one else wanted them or gave them up. Also, very misleading. If there are dogs there generally there is a good reason like abandonment, or because their owners were unfit or could not take care of them anymore. In regardless to the the dogs reasons, there are always puppies! Stray puppies are found all the time and brought to shelters. The dogs found could be pregnant too which is actually pretty common since a lot of people decide they cannot deal with a pregnant dog. Puppies in shelters do not any easier of a life then the dogs do. They are not given a long life, or even a real chance to be adopted. I’m defining a real chance as longer then a few weeks. 

An example of both these points is when I went to volunteer at a shelter in New Orleans. The day I arrived there was a rescue Siberian Husky from a very un fit owner. She had given birth to seven healthy Siberian Husky pure bred puppies 7 weeks earlier all ready for adoption and all from an un fit home. All of these puppies were pure bred and young. The mother herself was young and a very friendly sweet dog that would have fit into any home.

In October 2011, New York Assembly Member Amy Paulin proposed a ground breaking law to help animals across the state. A.B 5449. It requires the state shelters to turn over dogs ready for euthanasia to rescue groups. She says, “ I think that there is a need because there will be shelters that simply won’t work with rescues or even try to save animals from euthanasia and the message to them is that this is now a priority....Delaware and California have laws mandating shelters animals she turned over to 501c3s that the request them if they are going to be euthanized.”

This New York law helps build a foundation for shelters and rescue groups. Even if the dogs are bad, but have not committed crimes they will still be given to rescue groups for help and not directly to the euthanasia by the shelters.

In May 2011, State Assembly Member Micah Kellner proposed a bill that allowed animal rescue grounds and humane societies to adopt dogs from shelters. Generally, dogs and puppies were only adopted out to individuals and the groups were turned away. The groups would get around this bu adopting a dog out to the individual member who went in there and not the group as a whole. 

  “There are thousands of animals in New York State shelters waiting to be adopted and most are healthy, well-behaved, and jut in need of  loving home,” - Micah Kellner

Rescue groups have been doing a good job at taking dogs who were bound to be put down into their care, but still the citizens of New York are unaware of the rate dogs are put to sleep in shelters. The people of New York needs to see statistics, it’s no secret that New Yorkers are hardened by the amount of crime and poverty they see daily; so a sad commercial will not do it for them. A real chart, graph, table or stat shown to the city will demonstrate in their language what is really going on and how to stop it. New York is a city filled with dog walkers, doggy day care, dog groomers, pet-friendly buildings, even pet therapists. New Yorkers are good people who have a strong passion for dogs based upon these qualities and business’s that thrive there. They just need to be more aware, which is where the shelters and animal groups need to reach them on a different level.

In October 2012, a Pitbull puppy was found in Queens, NY tied up in a parking lot. He was estimated to be about 6-7 months old with injuries to his back leg and various other dog bites. It was assumed that he was the victim of dog fighting rings. However, he was described as being a very friendly puppy who was scared and hurt. He was taken to the vet, given all of his shots, neutered, and cleared for adoption based off of his gentle personality. Because of his back leg injury the puppy would need surgery and $250 dollars to be taken from the shelter. He was only given one week at the shelter before he was euthanized. 

In New York state there is a holding period for shelters to house an animal. The minimum if five days before the animal can be adopted or euthanized. Also, New York does not make a distinction between licensed and unlicensed animals. Animals that are easily identified through tags, tattoo,s microchips should be allowed a longer amount of time but they are not granted that. These pets could have once had a home and need al longer time for their owners to find them, or to find new owners if they were abandoned

Chart Source:

: Pets - Shelters, Pounds, And Euthanasia - Animals, Animal, Rescue, and Dogs http://www.libraryindex.com/pages/2206/Pets-SHELTERS-POUNDS-

These laws have helped shelters dramatically over the years. The number of euthanization has dropped dramatically between 2003 and 2008, after 2011 the numbers are forecasted to be even lower. However, it still is not enough for New York City’s dogs and puppies. Rescue groups and shelters need funding, and a lot more of it. The dogs should be more comfortable, and have a longer life in both places. Funding can come from numerous sources, although the pathos-ridden shelter commercials do help, they don’t get the message across to enough people still. Flyers, ads, more detailed easily accessible websites need to come into play. Also, New Yorkers love fund raisers. If these shelters had more fund raisers, and more speakers for these animals people would be more aware. Shelter dogs are not bad dogs and that needs to be well known as it is not.

If shelters could just get the small push to alert the public that dogs and puppies in their facilities are good dogs and would be perfect in a home just as a breeder dog would it would help them. Advertising pure bred dogs and happy puppies instead of just sad beaten dogs would show people what a shelter really is. It all boils down to misconception. People think shelter dogs are bad dogs, so they buy. Shelters think no one will adopt them, so they euthanize. 

The blame is not totally on the shelters, they do need to work hand in hand with rescue groups, though. They do need more funding, but it’s also New York’s citizens. The people need to recognize the dogs in there, and once that happens there will be a domino effect on the shelters and rescue groups.

I will call him...King.

About 3 weeks ago pit bull puppy was found in a Queens, NY parking lot tied up behind a dumpster with cat food. He was about 6 months years old, so cute, grey and white, and beaten badly. King was discovered by the NYPD who then called the ASPCA to bring him to care. On his way to the Queens South precinct he was licking all the officers, so friendly...but terrified. Kings injuries were as follows: dog bites; fractured leg; and bruises all along his body. King was very obviously a fighter dog 'bait' dog or a puppy that was in training and failed.
Being bait means he was used as an central object to make the older Pit bulls aggressive and to fight over, or used to help train a more experienced dog. Or, like I said, he just couldn't fight and was discarded. King was taken to the vet and neutered, given his shots, and was on his way to being adoptable.
In the midst of all this, I had told the saving officer, Sean, that I want to adopt and save King if he is cleared for adoption. I feel for this puppy, he was so innocent and left for dead after being used and tortured for a brutal sport. Why did I name him King? Because he survived all of this and was found and saved in Queens.
Sadly, because King had so many injuries he would cost thousands in surgeries and healthcare. Something I cannot afford. Also, to get him out of the shelter it would be $250. Still hope right? No. Pitbulls only have one week to be adopted in shelters before they are put down. That week has passed, and King was not adopted. Why do pit bulls only get a week? After everything King has been through he was hardly given a shot at a real family. Even though he was friendly, even though he had never harmed anyone, and even though he was a puppy and so awfully adorable.

Some please tell me, why did King deserve this? Please help, in the fight against fighter dogs and helping pit bulls have a second chance at love and a life.

Birthday!

Today is my dogs first birthday! Happy Birthday Enzo. I wish I could give him a doggie cake...maybe a burrito..

educate yo'self

"Q. What Happens to Dogs Who Are Seized From Dog Fight Operations? Can They Be Rehabilitated?

Dogs from professional fighters have been bred and trained to inflict injuries on other dogs, so they can be difficult to house and care for safely. They are usually very friendly to people—they've been bred for this trait so that they can be easily handled during fights—but, unfortunately, these dogs can be extremely dangerous to other dogs. That is why the ASPCA recommends that all dogs seized from fighting raids be assessed by professional behaviorists.

Each dog should undergo a standardized evaluation that is designed to gauge the dog's reaction to a range of experiences common to most companion dogs, including being handled by a stranger, playing with people and toys, having a bowl of food and a chew bone taken away, meeting a doll that looks and sounds like a child and meeting other dogs. In some cases, dogs that demonstrate mild to moderate levels of aggression or fear may be candidates for rehabilitation if such resources are available. Concerns about liability, public safety and the animal's well-being mean that dogs exhibiting extreme fear or severe aggression toward people or other dogs are not adoptable and often have to be euthanized.

All dogs from fighting raids that are placed in foster or adoptive homes must be carefully monitored over the long term because we still don't know how likely these dogs are to develop aggressive behavior in the future.

Confiscated fighting dogs are also at high risk of being stolen from shelters, foster care or other placements and returned to the fight trade. Therefore, it is especially important for shelters to put solid security measures in place while housing fighting dogs, to spay and neuter dogs who are adopted out, and to educate foster groups and adopters about why it is best not to disclose the identity of these dogs to their friends and acquaintances."

Cited by: http://www.aspca.org/fight-animal-cruelty/dog-fighting/dog-fighting-faq.aspxCopyright © 2009. The American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (ASPCA). All Rights Reserved.

Manifesto

Dog fighting rings exist all over america. Most of them can be found rather easily if someone has a high enough interest in them. They generally consist of managers, bookies, and "trainers". The managers collect all the admission money, run the kennels that typically consist of no food and little water, the dogs chained down and tools to beat them with in order to aggravate or just because they want to.
The bookies collect the bets. The bets are that one dog will win over another dog-which ends in death or surrender. Surrendering may seem like both dogs live but the loser will be killed by his owner anyway.
Trainers will beat the living hell out of these dogs. Metal poles, slamming them into the ground, electrocution, starvation, etc. Anything that will make this beautiful dog so angry that he turns into something that is against his nature-a killing machine.

A popular case in point is Michael Vick. HIs ring "Bad News Kennels" was located in Virigina. It has a known operation of about 4-5 years. His tactics included growing dogs in a 5 gallon bucket of water while another man held his hind legs if they did not fight properly, execution through throwing the dogs heads into the ground, hanging them, or electrocution. He would do this to dogs would won, lost, didn't look like they could fight, or just were in front of them. He also said that he got an adrenaline rush out of these disgustingly inhumane murders. Michael Vick would also through any helpless dog into the ring with a hungry pit bull or Rottweiler just to watch them die for entertainment.

Michael Vick was convicted in 2006, and was signed on a million dollar contract with the Eagles in 2009.

Problems?

HUGE PROBLEMS. For just a moment lets look beyond his horrific acts against these animals and focus on his mentality. He got a rush from murdering, he loved the empowerment he had over the helpless or lifeless bodies and felt no remorse for his actions…why is he allowed on the street? Why would he stop at dogs-someone with this amount of hatred does not have the mental capacity to differentiate between dogs and lets say children or women. Nowadays his ring has bee turned into a shelter for dogs where he claims he is a changed man and wants to help them, these being his own words after only 21 months in prison and definitely not a PR rep, right? Wrong. People like this cannot make up for the horrors they have committed.

Vick is just one example, nationally dog fighting ring owners are not sentenced to the right amount of time they deserve. They are animal abusers and even if they live these dogs will never be able to rehabilitate to who they should have become, they will never trust any human or dogs and will only ever know the act defensively. They will never know love, compassion or even what it means to be alone in peace.

Dog fighters get their pit bulls by force breeding females, or even kidnapping. Generally a breed like a Shepard or Rottweiler they breed or steal from owners. They are documented stories of Rottweilers and German Shepard's being stolen from houses and being forced into fighter rings due to their exceptional strength, massive teeth, and large monetary value. Which leaves the original owners in a  state of devastation knowing they lost their dogs and that they all never help them or see them again.


Dog fighting operators, or any individual who participates should have to pay the correct amount. Every single penny that goes into that place needs to be paid back to the shelters or to attempt to rehabilitate the remaining dogs so they can live out their lives in as much peace as possible. They should be sentenced to as many years in prison as deaths they have caused at least! If someone mutilates 3 dogs that should be minimum 3 years. Every dogs life they have ruined or any dog that has been severely injured should be additional months. Community service to animal shelters should also be added once they are regrettably released. These punishments need to ensue in order to instill a sense of fear into these despicable people in order to lessen and eventually diminish the dog fighting ring community. 


Dogs are good-natured beings. Places like this give certain breeds bad reputations but they are not bad animals. If any of these breeds are brought up in a loving environment they will return the love ten times over. Dogs will be your best friend, your protector, and your companion for their entire life. They should not be punished for that.

I love you too, Mishka!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qXo3NFqkaRM


huskies are awesome.

puppieeesss!

I saw a brown lab puppy splash in puddles while wagging his tail for 10 minutes today. He was having the time of his life, how could that not make you smile all day!

re-post

I died today....You got tired of me and took me to the shelter. They were overcrowded and I drew an unlucky number. I am in a black plastic bag in a landfill now. Some other puppy will get the barely used leash you left. My collar was dirty and too small, but the lady took it off before she sent me to the Rainbow Bridge . Would I still be at home if I hadn’t chewed your shoe? I didn’t know what it was, but it was leather, and it was on the floor. I was just playing. You forgot to get puppy toys. Would I still be at home if I had been housebroken? Rubbing my nose in what I did only made me ashamed that I had to go at all. There are books and obedience teachers that would have taught you how to teach me to go to the door. Would I still be at home if I hadn’t brought fleas into the house? Without anti-flea medicine, I couldn’t get them off of me after you left me in the yard for days. Would I still be at home if I hadn’t barked? I was only saying, “I’m scared, I’m lonely, I’m here, I’m here! I want to be your best friend.” Would I still be at home if I had made you happy? Hitting me didn’t make me learn how. Would I still be at home if you had taken the time to care for me and to teach manners to me? You didn’t pay attention to me after the first week or so, but I spent all my time waiting for you to love me. I died today. Love, Your Puppy ... Please forward this to everyone, its time to stop animal abuse copy and paste this if you are an animal lover

Watching Animal planet

Today it has come to my attention the Detroit has very heavy dog fighting crime. This usually happens in places where drug deals are found too, grand theft auto, and gang associations. I decided to look into this area a little deeper and WOW the results were rough. Turns out, there is a heavy community for dog fighting-since the yards are small as well as the houses its usually about 3-4 dogs that are brought in at once and fought in a small area. As per usual; the dogs are starved before, left in the freezing Detroit cold, and  beaten to anger them.

http://www.myfoxdetroit.com/dpp/news/local/dog-fighting-in-detroit-20110506-da
This video is very informative on whats going on, and what the average person can do. I WARN YOU the video is graphic. The only good part is that the beastly people you see in the video are now behind bars...hopefully receiving the same treatment from their fellow inmates.

The evidence they confiscate is important to note: a rape stand for force breeding, chains, a treadmill where the dogs have to run for hours, a harsh spray to go over injuries so they can fight again, vitamin supplements, and a hair chain where they tie up a female dog to lure in other male strays to use as practice for the experience dogs. These people are barbarians and should have to live a day in the life of one of these poor animals.

Pitbulls, and every other dog is beautiful. This should never happen, EVER.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oMdaQXssnms&feature=related



http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-R4x855nHgg&feature=related


Report this to the ASPCA, Humane Society, or I will gladly kick the door down and bring all the dogs to a loving environment and the 'owner' to justice.

A place I never want to be.

Before you read this, it is a disturbing and heart wrenching story. If you own a pitbull or rottweiler, this will hurt you.


While I was in New Orleans this past month I met a really cool guy at a bar, a typical thing in NOLA at noon. After a significant amount of heavy drinking we all went to lunch (him, myself, and my boyfriend). Naturally the topic of dogs came up, he became a little sunken in after I said that I have a rottie and started going on on how beautiful he is and showed pictures.
Turns out, he used to live in west Texas and has a rottweiler that he adopted with his best friend who took his brother. During the days when it was cool enough for him, he left the dog outside in a big filed backyard to play and run around while he was at work.
Let me pause and say that as long as dogs have a shelter and access to water and toys letting them outside in the yard to play and breathe the fresh air is good for them. They are animals and they are playful. Just like little kids who play outside all day. If the dog is in horrible heat or blistering cold or any other bad conditions leaving them outside is stupid. Actually it's flat out mean.
Anyway, he came home and his dog was no longer outside. After a serious search he called the police. The police did an investigation and it turns out rottie's and pit bull's in the area were being kidnapped to be used as fighter dogs.
 The police then told this wonderful man that his dog will never be seen again. He was helpless, and had to live with the fact that he could never save him. This gorgeous animal will be fought against his will, and abused by heartless people until the day he was ripped apart.
He went inside and cried over him, hated himself for leaving him outside thinking innocently that he would come home to him running up  to greet him. He thought about the fear his dog was going through, wondered where he was, what dog or person would be the one to kill him, who the hell could ever hurt him like this? He was in a place I never want to be.
He has never had a dog since.

Michael Vick, oh yeah I'd love to watch fans cheer for him.

As far as I'm concerned, someone satanic enough to drown puppies should be given the same penalty as the bitches who hit innocent kids. Yes I know animals and people are different but in regardless a power-hungry alpha man who would hurt ANY innocent helpless thing that could have never done harm to him....I would gladly tell to go play in traffic.
Michael Vick has been given a life again. He's into animal rights now? Okay-come on....a reformed animal abuser and dog fighting fanatic and force breeder who has tied pitbulls down and yanked our their teeth and forced them to breed is totally someone who should be walking around the streets.
Vick makes me SICK.
Maybe him and Casey Anthony should go on a horror date.

My dogs.okay, my best friends.