On Loving Animals...

Does it really matter where this is? It's a lovely place wherever you want to place it. Something good can be said about running water. It is soothing and cathartic. Stagnant water translates to trouble, but a raging river is an adventure. Active is better than passive. In its grander form, running water is a natural wonder. I am, of course, not talking about a leaky faucet. Think Niagara Falls, Colorado, Mississippi, and Susquehanna. These mighty rivers have been incorporated in our folklore. They are the subject of poems, songs, and myths. Rivers also teach us to flow, to adapt, and to carry on. It's all water under the bridge, as some say. This is actually the Black River. It runs through the Hacklebarney State Park in Chester, New Jersey. If you follow the Red Trail for approximately a mile from the parking lot, you'll come to this spot. It's a good hike but not challenging by any means. The trails (there are several) take you down picturesque ravines with picnic be...

Have you seen this alleged animal abuser? - National Dogs Examiner.com

Last week, I sat down at my dining table to read the overnight emails and posts on Facebook, hot cup of morning coffee at hand, when I looked out unto the deck and saw our little friend on a ledge. Spring brings new life, and don't the Blue Jays know it. Mating season for these birds runs from March through May. Yep, a new generation of these nest-raiding, territorial birds is germinating among the bushes and tree limbs at this very moment. That's just fine with me. It's the human population explotion that we should be concerned/alarmed about. We're taxing, polluting, and outright destroying the natural resources of this planet as fast as a young lady loses her virginity in Hollywood nowadays. Think gas exploration in the arctic, BP in the Gulf, and mountain top removal in the U.S. If these photographs look soft to you, you're right. I had to shoot through glass and a screen door. There was no time to set up a better shot because there wouldn't have been a shot ...

I am reposting a message from Keep Life in the Park (KLIP). ====================================== Dear Friends of NJ Wildlife, Our friend Dee at Wildlife Freedom Rehab is still in need of volunteers. 'Hands on' volunteering is rewarding, and you'll spend time with like-minded people who respect and support our wildlife. If you are physically able and have some free time, what better way to 'give back' to nature? Please phone Dee for more information. Wildlife Freedom Rehab is located in Wanaque, NJ (North Jersey). Thank you!!! Dee writes: I am still looking for some sincere responsible volunteers to help out at my Wildlife facility in Wanaque, New Jersey. The season has begun for orphaned wildlife as we already have some tiny, fox, raccoons and squirrels. Whatever spare time you may have to offer, your assistance will be very much appreciated. I am waiting for some new arrivals from the Humane Society as I write this e-mail. So please contact me ASAP if you have t...

Believe it or not, the Committee on Animal Welfare (CAW) is again pushing for the reinstatement of Tambucho Gassing as an accepted form of euthanasia in the Philippines. This comes after CAW dragged its feet from August 2010 to April 2011, stultifying a directive from Secretary Proceso Alcala of the Department of Agriculture to rewrite a previous CAW-endorsed administrative order that embraced Tambucho Gassing like it was a God-sent cure-all for stray or unwanted animals. For those coming into this matter only now, Tambucho Gassing is not carbon monoxide gassing as CAW would like the world to believe. Tambucho Gassing is death by vehicular exhaust fumes. No gas cylinders are used, just a rubber hose connected to a clunky, old, usually badly tuned gas engine. The animals are entombed in a sealed metal container and toxic fumes are pumped into it. In terms of expediency, the process is slow, inefficient, and ineffective against the problem. In terms of humanity, it is depraved, utterly c...

Yesterday evening, Sunday, April 17, 2011, Razzle's long journey to his forever home ended when I handed him over to a mother and child from Brewster, New York. We met in the parking lot of Stew Leonard's in Yonkers. I took possession of Razzle from another volunteer driver in Elizabeth, New Jersey an hour earlier. Razzle's journey started the previous day in Tallahassee, Florida under the aegis of the All American Dachshund Rescue (AADR). Days before, Razzle's new family saw him online, wanted to adopt him, but Tallahassee lay approximately 1200 miles away. Enter the network of volunteer animal transporters crisscrossing the United States like a grid. I am a member of the I-95 and I-80 group which are, for those who don't know, two of the longest interstate highways in the U.S. I receive via email information about transports, or runs, that cross my area (NYC, Northern NJ). I get to choose which leg I can possibly do. A volunteer driver normally does one-hour leg...

If you haven't noticed, the Robins are out in force. Their reddish, bronzy breasts make them easy to identify. They stand tall and proud; they epitomize the old saying to keep our breast out and stomach in. I spotted a lone Blue Jay a few days ago along the stream that flows through River Edge, and that's a bit of a rare sighting. Even more rare is a sighting of a Cardinal. I reckon even birds have to drink and take a bath, and a waterway is a good place to spy on them for more than a fleeting moment. Here's one I chanced upon in Van Saun Park. It was an unusually hot day for early April. The temperature peaked around 80F. As I said, the Robins were numerous but this one seemed to have excused himself from the rest to take a most personal bath. And I was there to play voyeur. Fortunately, I had my long telephoto lens on my DSLR and I started clicking away. Photo opportunities don't come easy, particularly with birds. Always bring your camera. No red-blooded biophiliac...

A message from our friends at Keep Life in the Park and the Animal Protection League of NJ ====================================== Dear Friends of NJ Wildlife, I pass along the following action alert on behalf of Animal Protection League of NJ . We must send a clear message to our state Senators that we DO NOT want them to support S 2649 . Particularly residents of Districts 12 and 17 (towns listed below). Please forward this email to those you know who reside in these districts as their voices are crucial. Thank you on behalf of NJ wildlife. Let's keep fighting for their lives! Merrilee for K.L.I.P. ======================================== Dear Members, Supporters, and Friends: On March 21, 2011, S2649 , a bill we thought was bad and unconstitutional , turned ghastly . We realize this is a lengthy email, but please take the time to read it, and act. This is a terrible bill that makes it even worse for the poor beleaguered deer in NJ. The general provisions of the bill as it ...

You wouldn't think that in the Wayne/Paterson, New Jersey area there would be enough acreage for a wilderness preserve. Well, there is. It's called the High Mountain Park Preserve (HMPP), and it lies just north of William Paterson University. I believe some time in the past there was a fight to save the area from development, and the result was the HMPP. If you happen to be driving on I-80 West, just when you're at the Paterson exists, look to your right (North) and you will see a series of peaks. The highest peak is High Mountain and to the left is Mount Cecchino . Not so obvious is Beech Mountain which lies to the northwest of High Mountain. You'll need to stretch your neck for that one, and probably cause an accident on the interstate. All three peaks comprise the Preakness Range . Two weeks ago, my wife and I decided to climb the 875-foot High Mountain. It's a popular climb among hikers, not too hard but not too easy either. We started on the Red Trail which ...

I am cross posting a message from our friend at KLIP. ==================================== Dear Keep Life in the Park Members, I wanted to make sure that I shared some important information. Due to our attending freeholder meetings in the winter & speaking up for animals, the Bergen County Freeholders passed a Resolution against Black Bear Hunting in NJ. (attached) "Resolution seeking the prohibition of all future Black Bear hunting within the state of New Jersey" This resolution passed on 12-30-10, with a copy being sent to the Governor. One line stated: "Whereas The Bergen County Board of Chosen Freeholders find the hunting of Black Bears to be inhumane and unnecessary considering the alternative methods that are available in deterring human and Black Bear interaction." So true!! The vote was almost unanimous: Freeholders Ganz, McPherson, Hogan, Driscoll, Calabrese, & Carroll voting yes, and Freeholder Hermansen voting against. Please send an email, th...

Please take the time to read about the wonderful work PAWS is doing in the Philippines. There are several heart-warming stories in this edition. http://myemail.constantcontact.com/News-from-The-Philippine-Animal-Welfare-Society.html?soid=1104292817189&aid=wRqKEvRH7ps

He is a controversial guy, but there is no controversy in Howard Stern's disgust about people who dumped their dogs at the shelter. I share this disgust for irresponsible pet owners, particularly towards those who abandon their dogs because they've found a new place to live---no pets allowed. Their decision: jettison the pet and consider it as c'est la vie. People, if pets are not allowed, then keep on looking until you find one that does! Give your pet some importance. They are not your disposable old furniture.

Roughly a month ago, on Valentine's Day, I joined other animal rights activists in protesting the horse-drawn carriages in New York City. We met at the corner of 59th St. and 5th Avenue, known as the Grand Army Plaza, across the gloriously lit Plaza Hotel. This protest brought together members of the Coalition to Ban Horse-Drawn Carriages , Friends of Animals, NY , and Heart For Animals and individuals like myself who didn't have to be a member of any organization to stand up against cruelty. I took this video at the very beginning of the evening when the group was just beginning to gel. Compared to other demos, this one was much more gratifying since we could elicit responses from the very people we are demonstrating against. The carriage drivers stood right across the sidewalk from us. When demonstrating against Ringling Bros, for example, we meet and speak with the ticket holders but not the circus people themselves. The carriage drivers' reactions were predictably hos...

Here is an announcement from Keep Life in the Park (KLIP) regarding humane geese population control in our public parks. GeesePeace ,the organization, has been working with government agencies who are enlightened enough to go the humane way in controlling the geese population in parks and the general area. Remember, not too long ago, families of geese in Bergen County parks were surreptitiously herded into a truck and gassed to death by the USDA. The gassing took place in the wee hours of the day to escape detection and public outcry. If not for an early morning hiker who cried foul, the gassing would have continued unchecked. The Bergen County Board of Freeholders quickly condemned the practice and outlawed the gassing of any geese in the county. I am still awed by that class act that other counties can't seem to follow. GeesePeace will show us how they do it in these training sessions. I can make it to the 8pm sessions, and so I'll see you there. ============================...

Did I hear this guy say that he stopped eating chicken because of his relationship with the goose? Maybe he should regularly visit farms where he can create a bond with an animal and see it go to the slaughterhouse because someone ordered meat from a menu. That goes for all of you carcass-eaters out there. Your life is no more important than an animal's, not by my yardstick, nor in God's eyes that know no favoritism.

You might wonder what on Earth are these? They are called, "gaiters," and fashion has nothing to do with them. Gaiters act like shin guards against briars and other thorny plants, worn by those who work outdoors like forestry rangers, ranchers, and farmers. Gaiters come in different styles and material, but they normally protect the ankles up to the knees. This pair provides protection against snake bites. New material called SuperFabric makes protection possible without putting on the usual thick, cumbersome gaiters with polycarbonate sheets embedded in them. This pair is flexible and light, made by Whitewater. I got this pair from http://www.forestry-suppliers.com/ I believe that such protection is necessary for hikers considering that rattlesnakes, copperheads, and cottonmouths are not rare along the trails, and they can be difficult to spot on the ground. I am willing to accept the prevailing theory that snakes, like most wild animals, will avoid hikers if given enough t...

I received an email from an office mate regarding a pit bull that needs rehoming . It seems that I have already developed a reputation at the workplace as an animal rights proponent that they think of me when such issues come up. They know that I don't consume animal products, an activist, and that I volunteer my time and effort at the animal shelter on weekends. It's not a bad reputation at all except when another office mate jokingly, perhaps mockingly, referred to me as "St. Francis." I am posting the photographs I received and a short assessment by the owner of our subject---Pigeon. If you can spread the word about Pigeon, then you are already doing something to help. You can reach Pigeon's owner a beauclayton@gmail.com . Pigeon is the one with the white head. ==================================================== " Pigeon is a 52lb, medium sized pitbull found tied to a fence on 20 th Street in Chelsea. I took her in and have been fostering her until i...

In spite of the rain in the morning, this Monday turned out to be a very welcome prelude to Spring. I believe that the temperature hovered around 57F with the rain stopping in the early afternoon. I took my dog, Fidelma, to Van Saun Park for a long walk and she had a wonderful time. We strolled for an hour and a half, in a circuitous route, as usual, with the wet ground having no dilatory effect on her. We're back to old form, and it isn't truly Spring yet. The green lily that grows on Washington's Spring including the resulting stream was as green as ever, as it had been throughout this Winter. I suspect that the spring water is warm. The afternoon wasn't as beautiful and reassuring as I had wanted it to be. I walked around Walden Pond and took these photos of its southern end, the end at which the pond drains across and underneath Howland Avenue. The heavy rains of the morning raised the level and the volume of the pond. Consequently, loose branches and leaves sailed ...

Finally, I found a pair of hiking boots that doesn't have any leather on it. This one is made by Hi-Tech, and it is called Cascadia XCM . It runs around $140-$160, depending on the seller and whatever discounts they are giving at the moment. The Cascadia XCM uses a waterproof but breathable membrane, seamless nylon uppers, brass hardware, and vibram soles. It also sports rubber toe protection. Several users gave it good reviews online, and I don't see any problem with giving it a try especially considering the rarity of animal-friendly shoes. Footlocker sells this model. I am dismayed at how difficult it has been finding hiking boots that do not have leather on them. I have looked at models produced by Asolo, Merrell, Columbia, LaSportiva, Mammut, Garmont and others. One can see that the prevailing attitude is that a good and dependable boot must have leather on it, if not entirely made of leather, at least some trimming. I think this is just more along traditional thinking and...