Friday, August 21, 2009

From the Humane Society of the United States on Dog Fighting

I live in Chicago. Nearly every day for the past three years, I've spent time with young men on the streets who used to fight dogs. I've guided them -- and their dogs -- to a new and better life free from animal cruelty.

I help run the End Dogfighting program in Chicago for The Humane Society of the United States. And I want to tell you about a young man named Sean Moore (pictured). Sean fought dogs starting at age 12, and saw hundreds of dogs die in street fights. His dog Butch won the last fight of Sean's dogfighting career, but had to be put down because of his wounds. "That was it for me," he says.

Now an anti-dogfighting advocate in our End Dogfighting program, Sean scans the streets for young people with pit bulls. Some of the dogs have wounds, and most have never seen a vet. He invites these would-be dogfighters to free pit bull training classes, where we work to build skills at both ends of the leash -- working with the dogs and the young men.

Over the last year alone, our End Dogfighting programs in Chicago and Atlanta have reached hundreds of at-risk youth and dogs with constructive alternatives and a message of compassion. We want to reach thousands more by expanding this program to other communities. Will you help?

Just this week, we've gotten more than a hundred inquiries asking The HSUS for help in starting End Dogfighting programs in other communities. They'd heard about our program through the publicity surrounding Michael Vick. So many cities across America are desperate for The HSUS's innovative community-based outreach programs.

Success stories like Sean Moore's explain why. Sean recruits young men who come to class barely able to control their lunging, snarling animals. As the participants gain pride in a dog's performance on the agility course and experience positive competition, dogfighting becomes much less tempting -- and ultimately, at odds with their newly formed beliefs. The men begin to see their dogs as friends, not fighters. Some men even become community ambassadors like Sean and help pull others out of the quicksand that is urban dogfighting.

But this proven community-based program can't thrive and grow by itself. Will you donate $25, $50, even $100 today to help save even more dogs and young men from lives of violence? Click here.

This program is about change -- the kind of change that inspires. Both people and pups can make astonishing progress through The HSUS' End Dogfighting program. But we can't do it without your help. Please join me by making a special gift today. Together we can reduce dogfighting on the streets, person by person. And we can shield dogs from this horrible cruelty.

Sincerely,


Tio Hardiman
Top Dog
The HSUS' End Dogfighting Campaign

Thursday, August 20, 2009

From Alley Cat Allies

National Feral Cat Day (NFCD) is your opportunity to help protect and improve the lives of cats across the county—and it's just around the corner!

On October 16, celebrate NFCD by reaching out to others with the message that feral cats are healthy and happy outdoors and that Trap-Neuter-Return improves cats' lives.

National Feral Cat Day is the perfect opportunity to get involved by distributing educational materials or hosting local events like workshops, fundraisers, or special spay and neuter clinic days. At www.alleycat.org/NFCD, you can read about ideas for holding a local event of your own, download the 2009 poster to hang in your veterinarian's office and other high traffic areas in your community, and participate in our “I’m an Alley Cat Ally” Photo Pledge to tell the world that you care about the lives of feral and stray cats.

Keep an eye out for this year’s poster, arriving in mailboxes soon.

With your help, we can truly make a difference in cats’ lives. You can be their voice—on National Feral Cat Day, and all year round.

Sincerely,

Becky Robinson
President

Sunday, August 16, 2009

New Photos in Our Facebook Group

There have been some great new photos posted in our Facebook group. Come on over, join the group, also "friend" the page, and join in on the fun! You can also enter our photo contest by emailing a photo to OurPlacetoPaws (at) aol.com.




Sunday, August 9, 2009

A lot has been going on for Paws

Hello friends,

A lot has been going on for Our Place to Paws, most of it on Facebook. We started advertising our little Facebook group, and it grew to 152 members. We decided then to move to a Facebook page, and we just launched that this week. With a Facebook page, we can post photos and our "friends" can comment on the photos, write on our wall, and see each others' comments. It's just a little more fun and interactive. So if you're a member of the group, please migrate over to the new page and "friend" us! It's a little confusing -- when you search for Our Place to Paws, look for the one with the gray tabby Scottish fold as the profile picture. That's Duncan.

This Fold, however, is Fiona...and she's enjoying her new basket.

Tuesday, August 4, 2009

Groups seek to defend lynx against snowmobile lawsuit

Rare wildcat population has been reduced by trapping, habitat loss

BOZEMAN, Mont. — Six conservation groups filed a motion in the Wyoming district court today to defend the designation of critical habitat for Canada lynx, a species threatened with extinction in the United States. In May, snowmobile advocacy groups in Washington and Wyoming filed suit seeking to nullify a February 2009 rule that identified and designated the critical habitat for lynx in Washington, Idaho, Montana, Wyoming, Minnesota, and Maine. The designation allows the Service to protect lynx from harmful activities within areas that are crucial for the species’ survival and recovery. Read more here.