Michael Vick. Football Anathema. Bad News Dog.

" And the survey said... " Remember Family Feud? Well, anyway, Michael Vick, bankroller for a dog fighting business, is the most disliked person in American sports according to surveys conducted by E-Poll. Why not? Don't argue. He's earned it. Aside from shelling out the dough, Vicky participated in years of killing and torturing dogs who displeased him by their subpar performances in the pit. Punishment included electrocution and drowning. The commissioner of the National Football League, Robert Goodell, allowed Vick to re-enter the league but he can't play until the sixth week of the regular season and only the last two games of the pre-season. That is, if, a team is willing to take him in. The New York teams, Giants and Jets, have already declared Vick as persona non grata. He's in quite a dilemma. His status as anathema has turned him into a player without a team. If you were the general manager of an NFL team, would you be willing to shell out millions of dollars in salary and benefits for someone who is known more for his hideous abuse of animals than his on field performance? I think Vick, now that he has served his sentence, has a right to rebuild his life but that does not necessarily mean in the NFL. I reckon what the New York teams are saying is that Vick can't expect to shit in their hat and then expect them to wear it too.

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Philippines. Reporting Animal Cruelty. Emergency Numbers. RA 8485.

Because I belong to an group of animal welfare advocates in the Philippines, I can read the numerous discussions between group members and people who, seems to me, just signed up to make an urgent plea for help. There were two this week who begged for assistance concerning two dogs who were tied up under rain and sun with no food nor water. One was described to be on the verge of a heat stroke. The images that filled my mind disturbed me immensely, but I am also encouraged at the same time. There is a growing number of animal welfare advocates in the Philippines and ordinary citizens are beginning to reject animal cruelty, willing to take personal action against it. Just from this website, I can see from the visitor data that many are seeking information on how to report animal cruelty in the Philippines. You can find my previous post on the subject HERE . Keep in mind that your complaint has legal standing via the Philippine Animal Welfare Act which is also known as the RA 8485 .

Poem. Captivity, Longing. Cruelty. Misery. Free the Animals.

Thumbing through some Robert Frost poems, I was led to this one by Maya Angelou . I don't know if Frost ever had an influence on Angelou, but certainly any American poet living today would be familiar with Frost's work. Frost and Whitman are my favorite poets, and the romantic poets ( Keats, Byron, and Shelley ) I can't bear. I find their work dense, abstruse and impenetrable. It's just a matter of taste and connectivity. I am no expert on verse, but I will accept the opinion of those who are. They warn us that Frost's poetry is deceivingly simple. If we were to try our hand at it, to put complicated emotions into simple verse, we would be tied up in knots. Anyway, Angelou's poem below, Caged Bird, touches on the plaintive cries, the longing for better things, that captive individuals must go through. You can apply the core meaning or sentiment of this poem to any situation involving imprisonment or captivity, human or animal. Think of the dog in a dank, dark

Antipolo. Philippines. Dog Fighting. Dan Sy Tan Arraigned.

It looks like the noose is getting tighter around the neck of Dan Sy Tan , the alleged but obviously guilty ring leader of a vicious dogfighting ring in the town of Antipolo, Rizal in the Philippines. He was finally arraigned on June 5, 2008 for his crimes, illegal gambling and violating the Philippine Animal Welfare Act of 1998 . Caught redhanded by undercover cops posing as spectators, Dan Tan and his business associates face overwhelming evidence. Included in the ring are three Thai nationals who fled the country last year. They are on videotape. There are gate receipts, eye witnesses, veterinary statements, all point to their guilt. These guys made money from the blood of fighting dogs. What a way to make a living! It's been a full year since the night of the raid, but we'll take every bit of victory we can get. I say " We " because I am a member of the Philippine Animal Welfare Society (PAWS) who worked with the police to capture these poor excuses for human be

On Loving Animals...

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