Dairyland Greyhound Park Is Closing

Dairyland Greyhound Park in Kenosha, WI, is closing its doors on December 31, 2009 after almost 20 years. And along with the 180 jobs that will be lost, as many as 900 greyhounds will find themselves suddenly homeless.
Dogs who do not find new homes, foster homes, or are not filtered out to various rescue groups will be euthanized.

Probably the biggest myth about retired racing greyhounds, and indeed greyhounds in general, is that they need lots of exercise, a big yard, and are high-energy dogs. I was surprised to learn that this is not true at all! Actually retired racers are pretty lazy; on average they spend 18 hours a day sleeping.Greyhounds are sprinters, not marathoners. They need a decent walk everyday, much like any dog, and the ability to run freely in a fenced environment occasionally. They also need a warm, soft place to while away most of their time.

Greyhounds are generally anywhere from 40-100 pounds, and because there are so many retired racers available it would be fairly easy to find a dog who would be a good match for your lifestyle. Contrary to popular belief, having a greyhound in an apartment in the city is perfectly acceptable as long as you have time to walk it (again, like any dog!). There are plenty of available dogs who are good with kids, cats, and other dogs. All adoptable greyhounds at Dairyland are up-to-date on vaccinations and undergo a health examination by a veterinarian. They are also spayed or neutered before going to their new home.
Unlike many purebred dogs, racing greyhounds don't have inherited health problems, such as hip dysplasia. They require little grooming and are quiet, gentle, and easily adaptable animals. They also have a pretty long lifespan for a dog of their size - usually about 12 years.

If you are interesting in adopting or fostering a Dairyland retired racing greyhound, or if you just want to learn more, please contact Joanne Kehoe, Operations Director at 312-559-0887 or Dairyland Race Track Adoption Center at 262-612-8256. You'd be saving a life!

Please pass this message on to anyone you think might be willing to help give these loving dogs a chance at a good life. They deserve it.

The Shelter Pet Project

Today The Humane Society of the United States is launching is largest-ever ad campaign, The Shelter Pet Project, to promote shelter adoption in the U.S. With two commercials, one airing tonight on Animal Planet, focusing on the positive aspects of shelter adoption, the hope is to end the common misconception that there is something wrong with or undesirable about pets who come from a shelter.The fact is, shelter animals make wonderful pets. They are loyal, well socialized, loving, and oftentimes less expensive and less work than animals from pet stores and breeders. They are all spayed or neutered, updated on vaccines, treated for health and behavioral issues, socialized with other animals in the shelter, and nowadays many are even micro chipped - all before setting one paw on the adoption floor. That is A LOT of money saved in vet bills and a lot of time and effort saved by new owners!

Many people seem to think that if an animal is at a shelter it's because it has a behavioral problem, is not housebroken, or has expensive health issues. That could not be further from the truth. Most animals who end up at shelters are not there through any fault of their own. Things like divorce, financial hardship, allergies or a move can land the most devoted and well-behaved pets in a shelter.Another myth about shelter animals is that you cannot find a purebred at a shelter. Actually, one in four dogs living in shelters are purebred. There are also tons of animal rescue groups who focus on finding homes for specific breeds of dogs and cats. However, it's my personal belief and a common belief held among animal workers that mixed breeds have all the advantages of purebred animals and fewer of the problems associated with various pure breeds. It's more important to choose the individual dog or cat than to choose based on a particular breed; there is no guarantee that the animal you end up with when choosing on breed alone will have the qualities you admire about their pedigree.

I think The Shelter Project is a great way to spread the word about the positive aspects of adopting from shelters. There are so many benefits and much fewer risks. If just 20% of people who welcome new pets into their homes each year adopt from shelters, it would save over 3 million healthy dogs and cats from euthanasia.

Please help spread the word about adopting homeless pets from shelters. Through The Shelter Project you can send an Adopt-A-Gram to friends and family urging them to adopt their next furry friend from a shelter. You can go here, then click Adopt-A-Gram at the bottom of the page to send yours today!

Mah Baybees

Sappho

Rawr.

ArloWhaddaya mean this isn't my bed??

Ella

Dis where I hide mah Twinkies.


Sappho

I can has some privacy here, Dad? Sheesh!

FIV+ Cats

Plenty of cats living in shelters throughout America were brought in as strays. Which usually means that they are not fixed and not vaccinated. Many of these cats test positive for FIV, or feline immunodeficiency virus. If that sounds familiar it may be because this retrovirus has a similar name to the human immunodeficiency virus, or HIV, which is the cause of AIDS in humans.

Now, there's good news and bad news for cats living with FIV.

The bad news is that it slowly kills off their immune systems, leaving them susceptible to all manner if illnesses that could cause death. They are also some of the most difficult cats to find homes for, as many people do not understand FIV or are unwilling to take on the responsibility of having a cat with the virus.

The good news is that cats living with FIV are often healthy, happy animals. FIV is passed only between cats (which means you cannot catch FIV or HIV from your cat, neither can you give the viruses to a feline). It is actually quite a difficult virus to transfer. FIV can be passed through blood transfusions, severe oral infections, or deep puncture wounds (most often betwen outdoor unneutered male cats, who are more prone to fighting). So things like playing, cleaning, and eating & drinking from the same dishes cannot transfer FIV from one cat to another. Also good news: cats can live years and years without complications from FIV. Yes, it is important that you have a vet who is up-to-date about current FIV practices. It is also important that you keep FIV+ cats indoors, both to keep them from spreading the virus and to protect their weakened immune systems. Lastly, FIV+ cats should be kept updated on vaccinations and fed a good quality diet.

My point is that there are SO MANY wonderful kitties waiting in shelters for the home that will never find them. And there's just no reason why they shouldn't be welcomed into the lives of people looking for a new cat, especially if the people don't already have a cat. When kept indoors and monitored closely, FIV+ cats are like any other feline companion: fun, loving, and full of personality.

And now, because I think this is a great little fact sheet from Best Friends:

FIV Facts

1. The Feline Immuno-deficiency Virus is a slow virus that affects a cat's immune system over a period of years.

2. FIV is a cat-only disease and cannot be spread to humans or other non-felines.

3. FIV cats most often live long, healthy, and relatively normal lives with no symptoms at all.

4. FIV is not easily passed between cats. It cannot be spread casually - like in litter boxes, water and food bowls, or when snuggling and playing. It is rarely spread from a mother to her kittens.

5. The virus can be spread through blood transfusions, badly infected gums, or serious, penetrating bite wounds. (Bite wounds of this kind are extremely rare, except in free-roaming, unneutered tomcats.)

6. A neutered cat, in a home, is extremely unlikely to infect other cats, if properly introduced.

7. Many vets are not educated about FIV since the virus was only discovered 15 years ago.

8. FIV-positive cats should be kept as healthy as possible. Keep them indoors and free from stress, feed them a high-quality diet, keep and treat any secondary problems as soon as they arise.

The Newest Philadelphia Eagle: Michael Vick

Michael Vick has signed on to be part of the NFL's Philadelphia Eagles. He is expected to be fully reinstated to the game by week six of the season, which is in October.

"I fully understand that playing football in the NFL is a privilege, not a right, and I am truly thankful for [the] opportunity I have been given," Vick said in a statement last month upon his reinstatement [to the NFL].

"As you can imagine, the last two years have given me time to re-evaluate my life, mature as an individual and fully understand the terrible mistakes I made in the past and what type of life I must lead moving forward," he said in last month's statement.

Vick is also aiding the Humane Society of the United States in their effort to eradicate dog fighting and animal cruelty by sharing his story with at-risk youth.

Petland Employee Drowns Injured Rabbits

I'm sorry to post this violent and disturbing photo. I know it's not something anyone wants to see, at least not any sane people, but I think it's important that people witness exactly what happened to these two rabbits at the hands of Elizabeth Carlisle, a Petland employee in Akron, Ohio.


After being allowed to "attack" and "eat" one another, Carlisle decided to drown the rabbits rather than seek veterinary attention or even humane euthanasia. The rabbits had sustained many deep wounds, a missing eye, what appeared to Petland employees to be a broken jaw, and possible paralysis from the waist down after fighting each other. These are not injuries that happened in the course of a few minutes. With proper supervision and care, they could have been prevented altogether.

Carlisle admits to a friend on Facebook that "[T]he manager took the pic for me. [S]he reminded me that there were people outside as [I] was swearing at them to just hurry up and die but then she was so kind as to take this picture."

This is not the first time allegations of cruelty and irresponsibility have been brought against Petland.

In a statement released on August 4, Petland says that Elizabeth Carlisle was "immediately dismissed" from her position at Petland upon their discovery of her heinous acts of cruelty and that "the case is now being handled by local law enforcement." Good. I was wondering when law enforcement was planning to get involved because HELLO! I smell a giant lawsuit and hopefully some jail time coming Ms. Carlisle's way. Jesus, something better be done about Carlisle's actions, as well as whomever else was involved, other than losing their jobs. The type of person who would drown injured rabbits, yell and swear at them to die faster, and then pose for a disgusting photo with them after they are dead has issues we should all be concerned about. As I've said before, people with a history of abusing others often start with abusing animals.

Please join me in writing to Petland President Frank Difatta to request that Petland stores no longer sell rabbits. After demonstrating their gross inability to provide even the most minimal care and protection for rabbits, they should not continue to accept responsibility for their wellbeing. I honestly don't think Petland should be allowed to sell animals at all if they are not going to care for them properly and make sure their employees are not psychopaths.

PETA's letter to Petland can be found here.

Would you like to touch my whale?

And no, that's not a euphemism for something dirty.

If you happen to have 200 extra bucks lying around, Chicago's Shedd Aquarium now offers visitors the opportunity to touch a beluga whale. Pretty exciting, even if it does cost a small fortune. Included in the $200 price tag is an orientation on animal care, a private meeting with the whale, some touchy time, and maybe a tongue scratching or the chance to hear the whale's heartbeat. At the end of the experience you get a souvenir photo with your new friend. And the chance to tell people that you TOUCHED A WHALE! Aaaaagh!

I think this is a really cool idea, but I wonder if it stresses out the whales? I don't know much about the temperament of belugas, but I can imagine that it might be confusing and stressful to have strangers grabbing at you two days a week (the face-to-face interaction is only available on Fridays and Saturdays). Then again, maybe it's nice to have some new company after seeing the same trainers day in and day out. Who knows?

Anyway, this is a pretty unique attraction and thought I'd share!