On Loving Animals...

The dog meat trade, there is nothing more vile and cruel. How I wish there was something in dog meat that made it unpalatable, or even poisonous, to human consumption. Spreading rumor that dog meat can cause in infertility in women or impotency in men might not be scary enough to drive away those who are undiscerning and uncaring. If there was something deadly about dog meat, people would find a way around it, just like they did with the pufferfish ( fugu ) in Japan. And let me tell you this, it's not only dog meat but also cat meat. And the problem is prevalent not only in the Philippines, but also in other Asian countries like Korea and China. Imagining the capture, binding and transportation of dogs in cramped bamboo cages is already very offensive to our sensibilities, but to witness the butchering of a dog is horrifying. I know. I spent my childhood in the Philippines, and I have seen the butchery. What can a child do? Too young and scared, lacking in savior faire to stop the ...

Just as I have said before, McCain did not put " Country First " when he chose Sarah Palin---shooter of animals--- as his running mate. McCain pandered to the conservatives who had been lukewarm, until then, in their support for him. Palin effectively became his sop to them. Palin also doubled as McCain's rather simple-minded attempt to lure Hillary supporters to his side, believing that if he chose someone with the same body parts as Hillary, they will come. The vast differences between the two ladies in experience, intelligence, and political convictions meant nothing to McCain. If it's a woman, they will come. That's quite condescending to women. Lord have mercy on us if the Palin-McCain ticket wins. McCain would rather win an election than keep the country safe. McCain has acted selfishly and delusional. He deserves to lose big time. CNN's Fareed Zakaria perspicaciously points out in a CNN interview why McCain's choice of Sarah Palin is fundamentally i...

Here's a young lady who is grateful she dumped fast food, cooked food, and meat. Living a life of obesity, she found salvation in simple foods from the Earth. Read about it HERE

Word is out that a dog rescued by the Philippine Animal Welfare Society (PAWS) needs urgent surgery to mend a broken leg. Romeo waited a week for his rescue, and only after an xray was taken did the true extent of Romeo's predicament became clear. One of Romeo's hind legs has a complete fracture of the bone. You can see it from xray. Romeo needs a bone-pin operation to mend the fracture and PAWS cannot afford it. The cost will be P15,000 ( Philippine Pesos ) which translates to $341 US. This is not a tremendous amount of money for us in the United States, but it is a heavy financial burden for an animal welfare society in Asia that does not receive any government funding at all. Yes, they run their operations through donations and sheer volunteerism. An operation like this would cost thousands here in the USA. My dog's surgery last year to correct her patella luxation cost $1500, and that's after driving almost two hours out of my high priced county where the same opera...

Proposition 2 . Probably, this will be the most important animal-related legislation to come before the people of California this year. The premise is very simple. Farm animals deserve humane treatment because they too are sentient beings, like our pets. Farm animals, or their natural products, become food. So, it only follows that a maltreated farm animal translates to unhealthy or tainted food. This is as much about consumer safety as it is about animal welfare. For those who are undecided, here is a video that enumerates why a vote for Prop 2 is the only way to go:

Here's one for your delectation:

" My fur Coat, " it's one of those phrases that makes my blood boil, usually uttered by a slave to high fashion, obviously seeking attention and praise. It makes me wish that a discreetly sized aerosol can, bright orange, was within reach. How wonderful it would be to see the mist fly, and hear the woozing sound of the spray...High fashion does not justify the skinning and killing of innocent animals for their fur. Below is PETA's latest video on the problem of fur coats. If you haven't seen videos of this sort, be warned. Gruesome images will follow, and they can upset you. But that is the nature of the beast. It's a cruel business, and you should at least see what really goes on in the fur trade, at least once. Here it is:

Well, it looks like that awards night came and went without me knowing about it. Good thing records are kept and publicity, or notoriety, last a long time. PETA's website is a virtual goldmine of information on those who think and feel that humans are the only sentient beings on Earth. PETA has awarded Vivisector of the Month for August 2008 to Dr. Marina Picciotto of Yale University. For outstanding achievement in the field of pain and suffering, Dr. Marina Picciotto clinched the title ahead of her closest competitor, from Winston-Salem, North Carolina, resident and Wake Forest assistant professor Allyson Bennett . Professor Allyson Bennet's work also involves uncommon cruelty to monkeys, rats and mice. PETA reported that approximately 1,500 monkeys are housed at Wake Forest, and federal funding is abundant. So, pain and suffering will continue even if many experts emphasized that results from animal experimentation are at best unreliable. As for the award, the field is crow...

NJARA's Annual Tricky Tray fundraiser is a HUGE undertaking that brings in a lot of money for NJARA and we need MANY volunteers. It will be held on Saturday, December 6 in East Brunswick at the East Brunswick High School . We need: - WORKERS : We need about 30 volunteers - that's right THIRTY(!) volunteers - to help out on that day. Help is needed from 1pm - 10:30pm. It will be split into 2 shifts: 1:30pm - 5:30pm & 5:30 - 10:30pm. Those who can work the whole day (1 - 10:30), you will be feed scrumptious vegan pizza for your extra effort! - BAKERS : We provide baked goods and refreshments to the attendees, so if you can bake vegan cookies, brownies or cupcakes for us, please let us know.Last year this event netted us $13,500. We'd like to surpass that this year, but we NEED YOUR HELP. It's a lot of work, but it is fun and you can feel good knowing you've helped. A win-win situation! Please email us at njara@nj-ara.org or call 732-446-6808 to let us know ho...

Here's a couple of photos of my sister and brother-in-law's dog, Monty. He's a Border Collie who loves the water. My sister found this out when, one hot afternoon in Australia, she left a small pool of water in the backyard and Monty took to it like a magnet to steel. Recently, my sister and brother-in-law discovered a dog-friendly beach along the northern beaches of Sydney. Although Australians think of themselves as dog-loving people, dog-friendly restaurants and similar places are hard to find. So, chancing upon a public beach that allowed dogs can be considered a major find. From the photos, Monty loves the place.

At the end of July 2008, I wrote about a cat who was rescued from a miserable existence in a tunnel, stranded on a sidewalk along a busy road. His name was Shaun, and he has fully recovered from the pain and misery that enveloped his life back then. Here he is pictured at play in his foster mom's home, his fur now orange and bright, no longer grimy from exhaust fumes, sheltered and loved by the volunteers of the Philippine Animal Welfare Society. Shaun is up for adoption. So anyone interested should email PAWS at philpaws@yahoo.com Here's a letter from Shaun: " Hello, my name is Shaun. You may not recognize me now so I'm sending my old photos way down below just to help you recall who I am. I myself don't want to remember how I ended up on that tiny shoulder in the Shaw Tunnel two months ago. My rescuer from PAWS says I was severely dehydrated when she got me. I'm still a bit scrawny but, hey, my ears are a lot cleaner now, and I really am quite a handsome fe...

Going over the search parameters of visitors to my blog, I noticed that quite a few are googling how to report animal abuse in the Philippines. I asked Anna Cabrera of the Philippine Animal Welfare Society what to do in such cases. For cases of cruelty that have previously been been committed, you can file a case against the perpetrator by following a few steps. First, you have to gather evidence like photos, vet certificate, and eyewitness accounts. Then, you need to execute a sworn affidavit and file it at the Fiscal's Office. Here is an example of an affidavit ( real names have been changed ): REPUBLIC OF THE PHILIPPINES) QUEZON CITY . . . . . . . . . . . . . .) S.S. SUPPORTING AFFIDAVIT Ako si JUAN DE LA CRUZ, nasa hustong gulang na, at naninirahan sa ***** EP Village, Camp Gen. Emilio Aguinaldo, Quezon City, matapos manumpa ayon sa batas, ay nagpapahayag ng mga sumusunod: 1. Nuong ika-10 ng Disyembre, 2006, mga bandang alas 10:00 pasado ng umaga, ako ay nasa bahay ng lolo at ...

This is Pharoh. He's a Cairn Terrier and he was residing with his foster mom in Chesapeake Beach, Maryland until today, Sunday, when a group of animal lovers, myself included, relayed him from there to his new home in Barnet, Vermont, a distance of 550 miles and ten hours of driving according to MapQuest. Pharoh's human companions left him with a friend and they never came back for him. The friend had Pharoh fostered, and she in turn found a forever home for Pharoh through a Cairn rescue group in New Hampshire. How do you get a fostered dog in Maryland to his forever home in New Hampshire? Enter the animal transporters. It's my first transport, and I was pretty eager to get on with it. My ride took me from Montvale, New Jersey to Danbury, Connecticut, a distance of 60 miles and approximately an hour of driving. I took possession of Pharoh at the last rest stop on the Garden State Parkway North from a guy name Tony who drove up from Mount Holly, New Jersey, a drive of appr...

There are ten dogs in Southport, NC who are in need of adoption very soon. Their human companion is dying of cancer, and it is his wish that the dogs find a forever home. The dogs were described as friendly and loving. They appear to be Shephard/Husky/ Malamute/ Collie mix type dogs. If you can help, please call Peter at (910) 269-4147 . Here is the plea from those deeply involved in this case: " We have no place for these dogs to go. Once they go to the vet for spay/neuter, they need to go into a new home. If you are an animal rescue group and can take one dog, PLEASE, PLEASE DO. We would be SO GRATEFUL. If you are an individual and can foster one dog, PLEASE DO!!! We can provide you with food. If you could please adopt one, there is no fee, but we ask that you sign an adoption agreement. The dogs have lived together as a pack and some are shy, some outgoing, but all are loved dearly by their human. If anyone can work with the more shy ones, please help them!!! "

No. The Alaskan wolves are still in great danger from aerial hunting and a governor who would pay $150 for one of their forelegs so that she can hunt more moose ( wolves prey on moose). It's the wolves in the Northern Rockies and Greater Yellowstone area who are the beneficiaries of official changes at the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS). Officials of the FWS say that they intend to abort the agency's plan to delist gray wolves in Greater Yellowstone and the Northern Rockies and place them back under federal protections. Now, that's a bit of great news. The Defenders of Wildlife thanks everyone who helped enlighten the folks at FWS, folks who " finally bowed to reality by recognizing that there are serious scientific and legal problems with their plan for delisting wolves in Greater Yellowstone and the Northern Rockies . " The Defenders of Wildlife is asking all of us to continue the fight by sending a message to the FWS that a management program beneficial...

If you're somewhere in the Philippines, particularly in the Manila and Quezon City area, here are several dogs who could be your best friend and loving companion. They reside, temporarily I hope, at the shelter of the Philippine Animal Welfare Society (PAWS) in Caloocan [ See Correction in Comments ]. Saved from hideously cruel situations by both the grace of God and kind-hearted members of PAWS, these dogs deserve a better life. The shelter is a better place than the street, but it is not a home for animals. Please consider opening your heart and home to a dog/cat in need. I don't know these dogs personally, and so I have lifted the narratives and photos from the PAWS website. If you are interested in providing a forever home to anyone of these forever friends, then please contact the Philippine Animal Welfare Society at philpaws@yahoo.com or call 475-1688 ; 3pm-5pm Mondays to Sats. . " Piolo was rescued from a pound who reportedly did not regularly feed or water the ...

“ We hunt as much as we can, and I’m proud to say our freezer is full of wild game we harvested here in Alaska.” Sarah Palin.

Mat Damon is right. We should all be scared of Sarah Palin . The likelihood of Palin becoming our president is greater than what we've thought so far. John McCain is an old man, and he is ailing. To suggest that he might not complete a term as president isn't outlandish at all. One cannot vote for McCain as president without weighing Palin as his replacement. If you approve of John McCain, do you also approve of Palin as president? They may be on the same ticket, but they are very different people. McCain is a veritable war hero and veteran, and he has had many years of Washington experience. There are no accounts of Palin's heroism except as a cheering hockey mom. McCain is an animal lover, and I don't think that he's ever killed an animal for sport or fun. Palin shoots animals, and she is proud of it. She even offered a $150 bounty for every Alaskan wolf foreleg brought in. McCain is against drilling while Palin is for it. I can imagine McCain standing up to fo...

If you haven't heard of Judge Wapner and the People's Court, then maybe you are too young. He held the first people's court, back in the 1980s, not sure. However, you must be aware of the slew of similar courts on television nowadays where people consent to air their dirty laundry before a national audience and be legally exonerated or condemned, scolded or praised. I have often wondered what unique joy or satisfaction, or sense of vindication do some people get by participating in a very public mud slinging. Anyway, one such court is Judge Cristina Perez 's court, aptly name Cristina's Court . She's an immigrant to the United States, and worked her way up to a judge's educational and professional level. But, she's also a gem on a personal basis, coming to bat for animal welfare when she didn't have to. Cristina is a good example of how legal immigration continue to replenish our nation with exemplary individuals. Here is her ad against animal cru...

Californians, please, please, please vote for Proposition 2 in the November elections. It doesn't cost you anything, but simply casting your vote for the proposition will save farm animals from cruel and hideous situations in the farm. We're talking adequate space for them to turn around in place, for the animals not to spend their entire life crammed in a cage, and other humane considerations like that. Let's listen to some people who care: Proposition 2 : http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Proposition_2

In Honor of those who died at the World Trades Center, September 11, 2001. Some people thought our country would collapse. Silly people. We're stronger now.

While some people proudly wear their mink coats, this is what's left of the real owner. Tell them what you think.

Friskies and Alpo came up with a product ensemble to benefit the Philippine Animal Welfare Society (PAWS) particularly the numerous animals under their care at the shelter. The combo package included a free Frisbee or a free paw-shaped food scooper, or 2 free cans of Fancy Feast Cat Food topped off with the PAWS sticker. The promotion ran from April to July 2008, and perhaps this is only the beginning of a wonderful partnership. Friskies -Alpo also donated much needed food to the shelter during the length of the promotion. This is wonderful news, and thank you Friskies -Alpo for your kind heart and support for animal welfare in the Philippines. Pictured here is PAWs Director Anna Cabrera receiving the first batch of dog food from a representative of Friskies -Alpo.

How about some wine? Well, come on over to the Cupsaw Lake Clubhouse, Cupsaw Drive, in Ringwood, NJ for some wine tasting. The date is September 27, 2008 from 7-11 pm. There will be some wine, food, music, and prizes for everyone. For tickets, please call 973-962-4062. The proceeds will benefit the shelter. I believe that the clubhouse is located on the northern point of the lake. Here's the general area ( call for exact directions ) : http://www.mapquest.com/maps/map.adp?address=1+Cupsaw+Plz&city=Ringwood&state=NJ&zipcode=07456&country=+US&cid=lfmaplink THIS EVENT HAS BEEN CANCELLED. HOWEVER, BASS WILL STILL BE THERE FOR PIZZA SINCE THE CLUBHOUSE HAS BEEN RENTED FOR THE EVENING. 09/21/08

The thing about volunteering at a shelter is that periodically you look around and realize that you've got a whole new generation of adoptees. This is good, for it means that earlier generations of adoptees have gone to their forever homes, and the vicissitude continues. It's a measure of success, nurtured by volunteer work and public donations. The following are four of our newest residents, and all of them are good and happy dogs. They don't belong in an animal shelter! I realize that the first attraction is often a physical one, and so I present their photos here without narratives. You can read about them at our website, and if you like what you learn about them then you can go on from there. Bernard Adopted 09/19/08!!! Diesel Adopted 09/19/08!!! Jersey Adopted: 09/29/08!!! Peanut Adopted 09/19/08!!! Bloomingdale Animal Shelter Society

Here's a photo that is circulating around the web. Obama is not a pet owner, and there is no evidence that he ever was. However, that doesn't mean that he is oblivious to animal welfare. For sure, Obama does not shoot animals for sport unlike Sarah Palin . So, Obama could be of great help in Washington, either as a Senator or President, to further the cause of animal welfare whatever or however that could be. I must say that Obama does not seem comfortable holding an animal in his hands, or maybe I am just seeing too much into it. The dog, Baby, by the way, is a survivor of the puppy mills of northern California. Baby spent a decade in a puppy mill, producing litter after litter. One of Baby’s legs had been so badly mangled, having lived in a cage, that it had to be amputated. Yes, Baby is a three-legged poodle who travels the country as an ambassador for puppy mill dogs everywhere.

Here's a cutie who needs a permanent home. I very seldom go into our cattery at the shelter but I see the cats that walk out into the outdoor enclosure. From there, I can play with them by sticking my fingers through the wire fence and scratching their foreheads and backs. So, you'll just have to go by looks here, and if you are interested in Kit then you must come to our shelter to meet Kit personally. She's a cutie indeed. Bloomingdale Animal Shelter Society

With all the effort and heartbreak related to stopping the aerial hunting of wolves in Alaska, the last thing we need is a Vice-President who supports this brutal and merciless practice. Sarah Palin professes to love life, that she is a pro-life candidate, that she realizes the beauty and value of life. But, how can one embrace and tout this philosophy and then be a sport hunter and supporter of aerial hunting of animals? Did you know that Gov. Palin proposed paying a $150 bounty for the left foreleg of each dead wolf? Why, because wolves prey on moose and Gov. Palin is a moose hunter at the least. What kind of human being will offer money to have animals killed so that she can have more animals to shoot? But wait, there's more. Did you know that Sarah Palin approved a $400,000 state-funded propaganda campaign to promote aerial hunting? You betcha. Gov. Palin's stand on life is contradictory, hypocritical, and shameless moral double standard. On what other issues is she playing...

And we thought we were on the way to a national recovery ... until... the Pentecostal, pro-human life ( anti-choice ) but anti-animal life Sarah Palin showed up. She ain't no Hillary Clinton in experience and depth, and she ain't no change from what used to be ( Cheney ). I hoped that Hillary would win the democratic nomination, but when she lost I switched to John McCain. I thought McCain was doing well, and he didn't have to make any Hail Mary passes to win the White House. But, his choice of Palin made we wonder about his judgment. Is America's best interest served by this VP choice or has politics somehow manage to stay on top of national interest time and time again? The choice of Palin was about ideology, and not meant for the good of our country. Most certainly, it was to appease the conservatives who have been lukewarm in their support for McCain. So, after all that " Country First " mantra, John, it was party first before country. You'd rather...

In case you didn't get wind of this, the world will protest the killing of dolphins by holding demonstrations at Japanese embassies around the world. This will be the fourth annual protest held against the drive fisheries of Japan. Thousands of dolphins are herded into a cove in Taiji and then brutally hacked to death, sparing only a few for the captive dolphin industry. The slaughtering season runs from September to March. Dolphin meat, recent studies have shown, has high levels of mercury, and it is unsuitable for consumption by children or pregnant women. The Japanese consumers are undeterred by the danger. The Humane Society International informs us that " The Taiji dolphin hunts continue to prosper because the fishermen receive immense profits from selling some of their victims to the captive dolphin industry. The government also gives the fishermen permission to continue the hunt because they consider the dolphins pests who eat too much of the fish stocks around Taiji....