Heart Like a Dog

The Good, the Bad, and the Oh My God of living with dogs!

Don’t Be a Dick

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Today is October 15th, which means it’s time for Be the Change for Animals. A day when bloggers unite to shine their lights on causes near and dear to our hearts in hopes of affecting real change for animals.

Blog the Change

I struggled with this one, I really did.  I mean, there are so many things that need to change in animal welfare it’s hard to choose just one.

While driving to a baby shower on Sunday we passed a house with a sign out front that said, “Free kittens.”  I thought perhaps I could focus on educating people about the hazards of offering animals for free, whether it be in the paper, online or via a sign in their front yard.

I mean we’ve all heard the stories of puppies or dogs offered for free, only to find out they wound up used as bait dogs for fighting rings, or were tortured and killed.  I’m sure those devious folks could find ways to use cats and kittens as well.

I made a mental note to myself to find the petition asking Craig’s List to stop taking ads for free animals.

Yesterday was Hubby’s birthday and I got super busy when I got home, so sadly the post I had planned for today didn’t happen.

But I happened to have this little gem come across my facebook page yesterday and thought it might tie in nicely with Be the Change.

Don't be a Dick This was originally (as far as I can tell) shared by Ashley Moore a vet tech at Vogel Veterinary Hospital.

Now before you go getting your panties in a bunch, I know that some of you have dogs that are not spayed/neutered.  I am also aware that some of you breed your dogs, and you are responsible dog owners that are not letting your dogs run willy nilly wherever they like, humping anything in sight.  I know that puppies your dogs are having/siring are NOT being dumped at shelters.  I’m cool with those of you who are breeding your dogs responsibly and for the betterment of the breed.

I am not speaking to you.

I am speaking to those who for whatever reason are letting their pets have litter after litter of unwanted animals.  Animals that end up in shelters where they are killed by the thousands.

Perhaps they are unaware that there are low cost spay neuter clinics available. If that’s the case and you have a pet that needs neutering and cannot afford to take it to a traditional vet, let me know.  I will help you find a low cost spay neuter clinic in your area.

If that is not the case, I beg you to educate yourself.

Don’t be a Dick.

Some of Them Just Touch Your Heart

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Sometimes the universe gives you exactly what you need.

Saturday Hubby and I went to a family run pet store.  As often happens we started talking about dogs and dog food.  Turns out this lady started her pet store because one of her dogs had food allergies and she couldn’t get the food he needed.

We shared that Delilah is a rescue and she shared that she has rescued a few dogs. I asked if she’d heard about the Just One Day project and she hadn’t, so we exchanged cards so I could get her the information she needs so she can help promote next year’s one day.

I also told her that I shared dogs on my facebook page and participated in a blog hop that shared dogs in need of homes.

I said, “Some of them just touch your heart.”

Hubby said, “They all touch your heart.”

Yes of course they all touch my heart, how could they not? Since I’ve been sharing dogs both on facebook and here, I must have shared hundreds, if not more.  Do I remember them all?   I’d be lying if I said I did.

Sometimes I think it’s for my own self-preservation.  The sadness of animal welfare in this country can be overwhelming.   I’d never sleep if I remembered them all.

But there are some that haunt me.  I remember their faces and I remember their names.

Looking at her sweet face just about breaks my heart.

Looking at her sweet face just about breaks my heart.

Dogs like Penelope, who even though she is safe in foster care looks so worried.

#24XXXURGENT: Hound, Dog; Bloomfield, CT

Dogs like Little Lady No Name, who is eight-years old, blind and possibly pregnant.  (I did find out they were calling her Moo Shu or #24.)

I started talking about Little Lady No Name and sharing her story, when suddenly the woman’s daughter exclaimed, “She was adopted!”

“Are you sure?” I think I might have clutched at my chest where my heart should be.

She grabbed her phone and started scrolling, explaining as she did that she follows the Hartford Pound.  And then she showed me her picture and said, “This girl?”

I nodded my head, “Yes, yes that’s her.”

“She was adopted.”

It took every fiber of my being not to sob with joy.  She made it out!

I said in last week’s Follow-Up Friday post that I don’t check on the dogs because it will break my heart to find out they didn’t make it.  But this time, the universe gave me just what I needed.

Oh she’ll probably still haunt me but in a way that pushes me to continue to share, because we really can make a difference.

What pushes you when you feel lost or helpless?  Where do you draw your inner strength from?

In CT it’s Against the Law

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There’s not much about my state government that impresses me, I’m not impressed with the Governor with the exception he’s very good about signing bills regarding laws protecting animals.

On June 4th of this year he signed H.B. 5844:

“AN ACT CONCERNING THE OVERNIGHT TETHERING OF DOGS OUTDOORS AND THE TETHERING OF DOGS OUTDOORS UNDER CERTAIN WEATHER CONDITIONS.

To prohibit the overnight tethering of dogs outdoors and to prohibit the tethering of dogs outdoors during certain weather conditions unless shelter is readily accessible to such dog.”

It’s not ideal, but it’s a start.

Tethered dogs are typically dogs that haven’t been socialized either with people or other dogs. They live their lives on a small length of chain.  They have nowhere to run should an animal or person threaten them and their world is limited only to what their chain allows.  Many times they are left outside in rain, heat and snow with inadequate veterinary care and many times they lack the necessary food and water needed to survive.

This little guy lives right on the edge of our park. He is always on tether and I worry that someday he will get loose and get hurt.

This little guy lives right on the edge of our park. He is always on tether and I worry that someday he will get loose and get hurt.

 

Recent studies show tethered dogs are 2.8% more likely to bite than non-tethered dogs with the majority of victims being children.  This is not a surprise considering their lack of socialization.

As I said, it’s not ideal but it is a start. Our current legislative office also passed:

  • a bill expanding benefits to pets in low income households
  • a bill requiring euthanasia to be performed by a licensed veterinarian
  • legislation forbidding municipalities from enacting breed specific legislation
  • a bill allowing students to opt out of viewing or participating in animal dissection
  • shot down a lottery for bear hunting
  • defeated a bill allowing bow hunting on Sundays

The bill most important to me, banning the sale of COMMERCIALLY bred puppies and kittens was tabled this session and instead a task force was assigned to investigate pet shops and the origins of the animals they sell.Hopefully the task force will present their findings to the legislative body and a bill will be introduced and passed in next year’s session.

Sadly banning the use of pig gestation crates and provisions for a volunteer to advocate for animals that are the victims of cruel and violent crimes were not brought up this session.  The goal is to reintroduce these for the next session in 2014.

One of the reasons CT is enacting tougher animal welfare laws is because of an organization called Connecticut Votes for Animals.  This is a not for profit organization that is really being the change for animals in CT.

Interested in getting some animal legislation passed in your state?  I bet CVA would help you get started.

Blog the Change

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