On Loving Animals...

Below is an English translation of Verlaine's famous poem, Chanson d'Automne ( Autumn Song ). Now that we are waist-deep into the Fall of 2008, I thought that the sentiments expressed here are very apropo. They are, indeed, melancholy. But, for many, like myself, Fall's beauty is accompanied by a certain sense of loss captured so beautifully by Verlaine. Of the violins Of autumn Wound my heart With a languor Monotonous. All suffocating And pale when The hour strikes I remember The old days And weep And I go away In the ill wind that carries me off This side and beyond Like the Dead leaf When the world was in the grips of a world war, the liberation of Europe hinged on a successful landing at Normandy. The Germans knew it was coming, but when was the question. The French resistance listened to coded messages broad casted from London to occupied France by Radio Londres. The messages seemed arbitrary and nonsensical to most unless they were meant for you. On June 6, 1944, the...

Do you remember Reno, the dog saved by volunteers, Daisy Medel and Joe Claret, from the Philippine Animal Welfare Society (PAWS), the one rescued from under a parked vehicle in Cubao with the bloody snout? If not, click HERE to see the post I wrote about him. What were slim chances of survival has turned into a promising recovery under the capable and caring hands of Dr. David Arceo. I've got some new photos to show you that will surely make you smile and be happy for Reno. These photos were taken on October 20, 2008. Before you go, please note that PAWS cannot pay for the entire cost of Reno's treatment and neither can the good doctor cover the expenses without help from animal lovers like us. I have already sent in my donation, and I hope that you will too. Click on the Donate button on the sidebar to start the process. Thank you. Here are the photos:

And they thought things have come to a lull, the issue forgotten, and the uproar a matter of history. Not! As you can see from the announcement below, the spirit of protest is very much alive. How could it die out? Each day the horses pull carriages is a reminder not of how great our city is, but how cruel it can be. This is one New York City tradition ( Mayor Bloomberg's concept ) that must go. It's a tradition alright, one of pain and misery throughout the four seasons of the year when the mayor and city council members are snug and warm in their plush offices. Coffee, croissant? Go ahead while animals pull heavy loads for the sake of human entertainment. ===================================================== Ban the Horse Carriages Demo Location : Grand Army Plaza, 5th Ave, New York, NY 10001 When : November 1st 2008. Sat 7:00 PM Please join NYC Animal Rights as we hold a peaceful demo against the horse carriage industry. We will hold signs and show a slide show of the abus...

I arrived back at the house I was temporarily staying in, and found this lizard clinging to the wall. The sun was shining on the wall, and I suppose it was warming itself. In a few minutes, it went on its way to a place it only knows. Click on the photo for a closer look.

Well, you have heard it on the news. As one republican party official put it, Sarah Palin is " going rogue . " What an embarrassment to the party to have it's VP candidate buck their own system, have no respect for order, and setting out on her own agenda. The falcon is no longer obeying the falconer. Is this the type of person we should elect to the White House? In a CNN report, a McCain campaign source described Palin as " she appears to be looking out for herself more than the McCain campaign...She is a diva. She takes no advice from anyone.. She does not have any relationships of trust with any of us, her family or anyone else . " The same report also stated that Palin is " playing for her own future ," and is considering herself to be the next republican party leader. It looks like the republican party has its hands full with a problem child, the consequence of their own bad decisions. Another insider observed that " This is what happens...

I am down here in the Jacksonville, Florida area on personal business and I found some time to visit St. Augustine , a quaint town by the sea. It is rich in Spanish history, Florida being a Spanish colony before it became part of the U.S.. Here, I chanced upon the oldest surviving wooden schoolhouse in America. I know, there are many claims being made here and there that one has to take such things with a healthy dose of skepticism. The schoolhouse first appeared on the tax roll of the city in 1716, but it is generally accepted that the structure was built before that year. The great thing about this structure is that it has not been altered significantly in the last 200 years, probably even earlier, and so we can see how wooden structures were built in the early American colonies. The chains around the house ( date unknown to me ) secured it to the ground against the high winds of storms. This is a 2-story structure with the classroom at ground level and the schoolmaser's living ...

Ebay has agreed to ban all sales of ivory on its site. Ebay came to this decision with some help from International Fund for Animal Welfare (IFAW), the World Wildlife Fund , Humane Society of the United States and the US Fish and Wildlife Service . The global ban will commence on Jan. 1, 2009. Happy New Year. EBay’s decision came just before the release of IFAW’s latest investigative report indicating that online trading in wildlife poses a serious and immediate threat to the survival of elephants and many other endangered species. EBay's in-house blogger Richard Brewer-Hay said, " However, given the complexities of the global ivory trade, and the distinct and unique characteristics of the eBay Marketplace, the sale of any ivory on our site continued to be a concern within the company... So, to protect our buyers and sellers, as well as animals in danger of extinction, eBay has decided to institute a global ban on the sale of all types of ivory . "

I love before and after photos especially if they showcase the gradual amelioration of miserable, marginalized, and unloved animals. The metamorphosis can be both heart-breaking and heart-warming. Those gut-wrenching photos speak of the sad truth about stray dogs. However, they also bring spiritual and emotional upliftment to see a homeless dog from the dregs, living in abject misery, transformed into a cuddly and healthy pet living at home. Compassion changes lives, and we should always be vigilant for opportunities to render assistance to those who need it. Icy was one of those dogs who normally would have perished in the streets if not for the intervention of a compassionate human. We can learn about Icy's rescue from a very good source, her rescuer, Clarisse, a member of Philippine Animal Welfare Society (PAWS) : " I was by the car outside Ice Monster when I was surprised to see a dog in the middle of the road in front of a car. She wouldn't budge from the front of th...

It will please you to know that the Asian elephants performing for Ringling Bros. Barnum & Bailey Circus will closer to salvation come Oct. 27, 2008 when the federal case against the circus begins. Yes, this is a federal case to be tried in Washington DC against the circus. The plaintiffs are the American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (ASPCA), the Animal Welfare Institute (AWI), Animal Protection Institute (API), Fund for Animals (FFA), and Tom Rider , a former barn man for the circus. The plaintiffs alleged that the mistreatment of the elephants by the circus violated the Endangered Species Act . Asian elephants are listed as an endangered species. The circus has done its best to delay the trial and after eight years they will finally face a federal judge. The specific charges include 1) the forceful use of bullhooks. These are large clubs with sharp curved points meant to train and control the animals through fear 2) the chaining of the elephants for long ...

Nearly three weeks ago, the Philippine Animal Welfare Society (PAWS), typical of most animal shelters, sent out an appeal for much needed supplies. There was a particular request for cat food. From Sherwin Castillo's blog Me.Find.Home , a site dedicated to PAWS and animal welfare in the Philippines, we can learn something about supply and demand at the shelter: " The shelter cats consume about 4.5 to 6 kilograms of cat food (kibble) every day which cost about Php360 to Php450 ($7.66 to $9.57) on the average.A 22.7 kilogram (or 50 lbs.) bag of Princess Cat (the cheapest one we are able to find right now, available at Whiskers n' Paw Prints in Katipunan Rd., Quezon City) costs about Php1,800 ($38.30) and would last about 4 to 5 days. That's around Php10,800 ($230) per month which is a really significant amount considering PAWS doesn't have a steady source of funding . " Enter Matthew. He's ten years old and already an animal lover. He broke his piggy bank ...

Here's Filipina model Alicia Mayer urging us to give up meat and go vegetarian. Well, Alicia, I have been moving towards that for nearly a year now. As I have stated in one of my recent posts, I have totally given up meat, but I still eat seafood. I am inching, slowly but surely, towards an all-plant diet. I can't even look at the meat dish now without seeing the animal behind it. It doesn't show on the ad but there is a not so very subtle hint at the PETA website that was aimed at men folk. Yeah, those macho men who think beef makes them big and manly: " No one wants a limp banana! " Here's Alicia all wrapped up like the meat you buy at the grocery store. As the sign says, no one wants to be treated like a piece of meat. Have mercy on the farm animals. Live a healthier life. Give up Meat.

I received this email from In Defense of Animals, and I will just post it here in its entirety because it speaks so well for itself. Please, don't just read it. Take action. Send those emails to the proper authorities in whose hands this elephant's life is in. This elephant doesn't have a large area to live in plus her mate died a year ago and she's the lone elephant now. It's time to give this elephant her freedom. Forty Six years on display. Lord, have mercy. The zoo has earned enough money off her already. For pity's sake, let her go. How could they even name this elephant, Lucky. To the San Antonio Zoo officials, this matter will not go away. The life, or the lack of it, that you insist Lucky should live in your compound is already a source of embarrassment for your zoo, a stain on your reputation, and an indication of your level of humanity. You can argue that you know what's best for Lucky, but the facts don't agree with that. What right have you t...

" Okay, let me see here...Roe vs. Wade... here we are...So, Roe v. Wade centrally held that a mother may abort her pregnancy for any reason, up until the point at which the fetus becomes viable... "

Chimpanzees taking part in a daily animal amusement park parade for 25 to 40 years, can you fathom that? Do you think that circus and amusement park animals wake up in the morning and say, " I wanna balance on top of a ball today. ?" The trouble with these institutions of wholesome(?) family entertainment is that they take away the dignity of animals. In Cameroon, one such animal was Dorothy . PETA reported that the first armed confiscation of primates in Cameroon led to Dorothy's freedom, along with others like her. She was then taken to In Defense of Animals ' refuge in Sanaga-Yong in 2000. Well, Dorothy passed away recently and that means, if you do the simple math, she lived freely for only eight years. If there is any question relating to animals as sentient beings, take note of the photograph wherein members of Dorothy's community, perhaps relatives, stand in mournful silence as Dorothy's body is displayed to them. They are so human-like that we can im...

First of all, these guys must be quite relieved that they have come to the end of debates for this election year. I believe that Obama took part in more than twenty debates and McCain around sixteen. The road to the White House is, indeed, fraught with danger. Who wants to wake up in the morning and know that people have been on the attack overnight? But politicians seem to have a good level of equanimity that is essential for their survival in the political arena. I find this to be very true with Obama. He is not flustered, not angered, and certainly very well-composed in his delivery plus he preaches his gospel in a well-modulated voice. Obama is also highly-educated, with degrees from Columbia and Harvard. In the beginning, I felt that he was seriously lacking in experience to be running for President, but I am no longer convinced of that. After more than a year of campaigning, now in October, Obama has captured the hopes, dreams, and support of most Americans amidst unrelenting fir...

This video can be disturbing to you, but it certainly shows us the pain and suffering farm animals go through. That's why I gave up meat. I am convinced that any meat dish has a cruel past, and that's definitely a factor in choosing the food I consume. Don't get me wrong. I am a only newcomer to a non-meat diet. I stopped eating meat right after New Year's Eve, on Jan 1, 2008. I don't miss it at all, and through this time I have learned to see the animal behind any meat dish that comes into view. Part of my transformation is the realization that eating meat is eating a dead animal. That's what it really is, a dead animal whose parts you are eating. I now consider it an insult to my body to consume meat. It's as bad as smoking. Support compassion for farm animals. If you are a voter in California, please vote YES on Proposition 2. If you can't give up meat, then at least support the better treatment fo farm animals. Your meat didn't have to stand in ...

Once again , the Saddest Show on Earth has come to New Jersey. This time, however, they will be performing at the Prudential Center in Newark instead of the IZOD Center in the Meadowlands. NJARA will be there, and so will other animal rights organizations. Please join us. And then there is our pie in the sky, the beginning of the federal court case against Ringling Bros Barnum & Bailey Circus on Oct. 20, 2008 in Washington, DC. That's monday. That's judgment day for these animal abusers who were charged as violating the Endangered Species Act. Let's hope that the federal judge will issue an injunction, and put an immediate halt to the use of the bullhooks and shackling the elephants. Here is the schedule for demonstrations in Newark. Where : Prudential Center 165 Mulberry Street Newark, NJ 07102 (973) 757-6000 (2 blocks from Newark Penn Station) Demo Dates: THURSDAY , October 16, 2008 OPENING SHOW 6:30PM - 8PM (show 7:30pm) FRIDAY DEMO , October 17, 2008 6:30PM - 8PM (...

Check out another memorable rescue by members of the Philippine Animal Welfare Society . An alerting email was sent to PAWS about a wounded dog in Cubao , said to be lying underneath a parked vehicle, bleeding, presumably a stray, possibly near death. The director of PAWS sent out an APB to all members at large, calling for volunteers to do the rescue. Just like here in the USA, a call like that is tantamount to telling the bears where the berries are. They will come. Nothing gets an animal lover's blood to pulsate more than a cry for help. However, things are not as easy for an animal welfare society in Asia, this one propelled solely by donations and sheer volunteer spirit, to effect such rescues. Fuel, vehicles, liquid money don't come as easy to them as they do to us. Not to be discouraged, on the night of October 3rd, intrepid volunteers Joe Claret and Daisy Medel set out to make the rescue. They found the dog on Real St., corner North Road, and they subsequently named ...

The Brooklyn Animal foster Network has sent out an appeal for a laptop and/or wireless Card and account to help spread their mission online. I don't think that the laptop has to be top of the line. It won't be used for gaming purposes, but more towards publishing photos and text. So, if you have a spare laptop in your closet, now is the time to give it up for a great cause. Please call Laurie at 718 789-6865 if you can help out. So, think of the lapdog pictured above and then think laptop. Like any other animal welfare group, BAFN's everyday supplies go quickly and therefore the supplies need to be replenish constantly. They cannot come and pick them up, and so please consider dropping them off. Again, you can call the number I listed above. The following is BAFN's wish list. Leashes and collars You and Your Van to transport animals from foster homes to adoption events Digital Cameras Blankets, sheets and towels DID WE SAY Blankets, sheets and towels Cleaning and de...

Check out this link. I better get down to Greenwich Village, and see this exhibit in person. This report from the BBC will fill you in: http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/entertainment/7662627.stm

Here is Patrick, a very handsome dog. I love his fur and the blending of the white, and brown with the black. The story goes that he was adopted out from our shelter some time ago to a very good home. The man no longer has time to share with Patrick, and instead of leaving Patrick alone at home for lengths of time he decided to give him up for adoption. We concurred that it was the right thing to do, the responsible thing to do. Good thing Patrick was given back to us; we love our dogs to death. So, at this time, Patrick has been at our shelter for two weeks. I took him out to the yard, and let him run loose last week. He loved it, ran after the ball with gusto, easy to reign back in, and no pushing on my tummy with his paws. As for size, Patrick would be a medium sized dog, or the lowest end of the large size. When in his kennel, Patrick moves around with a squeeze toy in his mouth. Funny. Come and see him at the shelter: Bloomingdale Animal Shelter Society UPDATE : Patrick adopted ...

Ok , by popular demand, my mailbox is overflowing with requests, banging on my door, cell phone ringing at 3am, people approaching me at the bus stop...she said, " drill babe drill " but you said " More Babe More. " Please leave me alone and don't threaten my dog! Have you ever seen Jack Cafferty lose it? I mean, he was quite irritated on this video clip you are about to see. When Cafferty news casted on regular channels, back years ago, I thought he was very boring. He seemed stodgy and humorless, a wooden newscaster sporting an awkward haircut. Then, he disappeared and resurfaced on cable. Now, he's got things to say outside reading the news, and even a popular, well-visited blog of his own. Good for you, Mr. Cafferty . More power to you... What got Jack Cafferty riled up was no other than Gov. Sarah Palin . Yes, she's the one who recently was found abusing her authority by putting undue pressure on a safety officer to fire her state trooper forme...

There are things that come easy, like disliking Sarah Palin. The ultra-conservative, animal-killing, anti-choice, enemy of the environment, fluffy bunny, and republican nominee for vice-president of the United States has earned the ire of former film superstar, fashion model, singer Brigitte Bardot. She's 74 now. I remember Madame Bardot, alright. Guys over fifty do remember her, no question bout that! She has become a staunch advocate of animal rights, and she has given us, by means of an open letter to Palin, more things to remember her by... " I hope you lose these elections because that would be a victory for the world . " Like you, Ms. Bardot, I hope so too. " By denying the responsibility of man in global warming, by advocating gun rights and making statements that are disconcertingly stupid, you are a disgrace to women and you alone represent a terrible threat, a true environmental catastrophe . " I think I can go along with that...obviously referring t...

Perusing the website of the American Humane Organization , I came upon a listing of the laws governing euthanasia by state. True to our decentralized mode of government, euthanasia laws are the purview of states, not the federal government. As you can surmise, much of the information deals with which substances and manners of killing are acceptible. Here is the part for New Jersey: " N. J. Statutes Section 4:22-19.3: Neuromuscular blocking agents prohibited. When euthanizing a domestic animal succinylcholine chloride, curare, curariform drugs, or any other substance which acts as a neuromuscular blocking agent is prohibited. N. J. Statutes Section 4:22-19: Destruction of impounded animals. New Jersey does not allow euthanasia by hypoxia induced by decompression, by lethal gas other than an inhalant anesthetic, or by any other means not generally accepted by the veterinary medical profession. Penalties: 1st offense (fine of $25 for each animal). Subsequent offense (fine of $50 for ...

October 4 was the feast day of St. Francis of Asisi , patron saint of animals and the ecology. For those in the dark about religious history, he emphasized that the animals and nature are also God's precious creations. He addressed this mundane issue directly while others focused on ethereal matters like saving souls or condemning them to that flame-engulfed place called Hell. God's world is all around us, hiding in plain sight, you included. We are it, and so animal abuse is an affront to God's creation and to our basic human sensibility. The world celebrated the feast day with animal blessings, calling it the World Animal Day. Compassion and Respect for Animals (CARA), a Philippine-based animal welfare group, celebrated the feast day with an animal blessing at Malate Church , one of the oldest churches in Manila outside of Intramuros ( walled city of Manila ). Allow me to digress. The church dates back to the 16th century, rebuilt in 1773, and restored again after WW2. M...

Here's your chance to meet the doyenne of the animal rights movement, Ingrid E. Newkirk, co-founder of PETA. I said " co-founder " because, as I recall the story, a small group of people met at someone's apartment, possibly Ingrid's, and decided to form a group for the ethical treatment of animals. However the organization was founded, Ingrid Newkirk has become the face of PETA. Ingrid will be in New York City on Oct. 14, 2008 to sign copies of her new book entitled, One Can Make a Difference . You are invited to join Ms. Newkirk at Borders in Columbus Circle for a signing and discussion on Tuesday, October 14, at 7 p.m. Her book contains 50 thought-provoking original essays, written by a diverse group of stars—including supermodel Petra Nemcova, Sir Paul McCartney, Willie Nelson, Brigitte Bardot, His Holiness The Dalai Lama, White House correspondent Helen Thomas, and director Oliver Stone. Some essays were written by common people like us, people like the woman...

NJARA VEGAN THANKSGIVING DINNER INVITE YOUR FRIENDS AND FAMILY TO SHARE IN THIS COMPASSIONATE (& DELICIOUS!) CELEBRATION DATE : Thanksgiving Day, Thursday, November 27, 12:00-3:00pm (please note the time change from earlier notices) PLACE : The Clubhouse (at Independence Square Condominiums) 36-1 Whistler Dr., Freehold, NJ 07728 COST : $26 per person (age 13 and older) children between 6 and 12 $16 children under 6 free VEGAN BUFFET MENU : Soup : Butternut squash soup Entrees : Roast nuggets & 'chicken' legs w/rosemary wine sauce, Tofu turkey, 'Meat'loaf Side dishes : Mashed potatoes and gravy, Stuffing, Baked cauliflower with vegan cheese, Green beans with slivered almonds, Cranberry sauce Dessert : Cookies and cake & Soda, cider, tea and coffee RSVP BY 11/13/08: Please send your check or money order to: New Jersey Animal Rights AlliancePO Box 174, Englishtown, NJ 07726 Pay online and find directions at: www.nj-ara.org/events.htm Questions? Contact...

For those of you who love chocolate snacks, or simply because Halloween is fast approaching, you may want to know that Mars Inc. has funded deadly animal tests . PETA reported that Mars Inc. funded " a gory experiment on rats to determine the effects of chocolate ingredients on their blood vessels. Experimenters force-fed the rats by shoving plastic tubes down their throats and then cut open the rats' legs to expose arteries, which were clamped shut to block blood flow. After the experiment, the animals were killed. Mars also supported an experiment in which baby mice were crammed into small Plexiglas chambers—which were each about half the size of a 12-ounce soda can—and submerged them for nearly five hours in chilled water—just to see if a chocolate ingredient affected their breathing rate. Not one of the tests funded by Mars is required by law, and studies using human subjects are more reliable. " The things people do to animals! Incredible, and that's for us to...

Oh God, whoever put this fluffy bunny on our laps should be kept out of office. Well, that's John McCain ! Anyway, here's a short commentary and video clip of Palin with Katie Couric on the subject of abortion. In a nutshell, the killer of animals wants YOU to have NO CHOICE but HER CHOICE . Listen to the politico who wants to make her choice the government's choice:

Our shelter, the Bloomingdale Animal Shelter Society , is also the animal control facility for several towns in northern New Jersey. They are Bloomingdale, Butler, Riverdale, Wanaque, Pompton Lakes, Ringwood and North Caldwell. That's a large area to cover, and so the animal control officers (ACO) are very busy people. I once saw ACO Lisa Perry rushing out of our compound in her van, and I managed to slip in a question before she went out of sight. " Where are you headed now? " " I've got a call about a snake. " The ACOs respond to many calls a day and to a wide variety of situations involving animals, not restricted to cats and dogs. Recently, the Suburban Trends covered a story about the ACOs and the rise of rabies cases in the area. Most certainly, it was the animal control office that raise the alarm: http://www.suburbantrends.com/NC/0/1245.html

These retail giants, Hugo Boss and Perry Ellis , will begin phasing out any of their products that includes Australian lamb wool. Adidas , reputedly the second largest sporting goods manufacturer in the world, will also refuse to market any such products. The problem is rooted in mulesing, a cruel procedure in which Australian farmers carve chunks of skin and flesh from lambs' backsides. Mulesing is common practice in Australia as a way to reduce the incidence of flystrike on merino sheep in regions where flystrike is common. Flystrike is Myiasis which is an animal or human disease caused by parasitic dipterous fly larvae feeding on the host's living tissue. Other terms for Myiasis include "fly-strike" and "fly-blown".Adidas pledged that if they can't find wool that has not been mulesed from lambs, they will not use the wool at all. These policies have resulted from discussions with PETA . I reckon those Aussie farmers will just have to find a way to p...