National April Pet and Animal Days

These days it seems that each month has so many things being observed, commemorated, celebrated, etc. Here are the ones for April related to animals that I found on several different pet-related websites:

National Pet First Aid Awareness Month
Prevention of Animal Cruelty Month
Prevent Lyme Disease in Dogs Month

April 7 - Tag day
April 11 - National Pet Day
April 15-21 - National Pet ID week
April 26 - National Kids & Pets Day
April 27 - National Hairball Awareness Day
April 28 - International Guide Dog Day
April 28 - World Veterinary Day

Your local shelters and rescue groups may be doing some special events and activities related to some of these special observances. So get involved when and if you can.

Of course, for all pet and animal lovers, every day is a day to celebrate the love and friendship our pets give us and to appreciate the wonder of animals in general. So we'll keep celebrating and caring for the animals we love every day no matter what else is going on!

Written by Debra of Sleepy Cat Designs where you will find her specialty: handmade safety cat collars using cotton fabrics in many designs that are comfortable, non-irritating, and affordable. Debra adopted her cat, Chester, from The Hermitage No Kill Cat Shelter in Tucson, Arizona, and encourages everyone to adopt homeless pets from a shelter in their area, too.

Missouri, Proposition B, and Puppy Mills

Dog Paw Keychain by TS Beading

There's been a lot of talk in Missouri about the upcoming ballot containing Proposition B, also known as the Puppy Mill Initiative, an Initiative State Statute, that would help stop puppy mill cruelty.  Of the seven states that are known as "puppy mill states" due to having the largest number of puppy mills in the Country, Missouri is the leader.  Earlier this year a petition was submitted to the Secretary of State with 190,000 signatures requesting tougher laws on puppy mills.  This proposition is now known as Proposition B, and will be on voter's ballots in Missouri on November 2, 2010.  While this doesn't pertain to many of us who do not live in Missouri, it is a step in the right direction.  Hopefully with the successful passage of Proposition B, other states will follow. 

What is Proposition B?
 According to Ballotpedia, the ballot will ask, "Shall Missouri law be amended to:

• require large-scale dog breeding operations to provide each dog under their care with sufficient food, clean water, housing and space; necessary veterinary care; regular exercise and adequate rest between breeding cycles;
• prohibit any breeder from having more than 50 breeding dogs for the purpose of selling their puppies as pets; and
• create a misdemeanor crime of “puppy mill cruelty” for any violations?"

These seem like basic things that any domesticated animal should have, yet there are many puppy mills that don't give their breeding animals or puppies even the basics listed above.  I know this because there is a lot of opposition to this proposition, and from what I've read, the opposition's largest complaint is the money that it would take to get their facilities up to the new standard. One comment that I read even said something along the lines of, "it would cost our facility $50,000 USD to get our facility up to that standard," and then, "whoever wrote up this proposition apparently never owned an animal."  What I have to say is this, if they complain about the costs of providing the basics for their animals, then apparently there is a huge problem going on, further, if they can't afford the basics, then they don't need the amount of animals that they have in their care.  Plus, I've had many animals in my life and I agree with the above being the absolute minimum that any domesticated animal should have.

Another argument is along the lines of law enforcement.  Right now the law won't get involved unless there is a claim of animal cruelty that could take a long time to get the animal the basics, but with the new state initiated statute, it would be a crime involving local law enforcement.  Specifically, it would be a Misdemeanor B.  It is said that the government is trying to get a foothold in the agriculture business "where it doesn't belong," but I say it does belong. I've read enough articles, seen enough photos, and have read reports by the US Humane Society, including their report entitled, "Missouri's Dirty Dozen," to know that these dogs and puppies are being abused, and since so many breeders are being that irresponsible, it's time that the law does step in.  

Written by Tsilos Schoener

TS Beading

Life and Death in Captivity - RIP Kalina

I have enjoyed my share of visiting the zoo, the circus, the local pet shops, the large aquariums, and any other place that I could view real, live animals in their simulated homes. As an animal lover, I also enjoyed watching the commercials for Sea World, and even wished that someday I could go to Sea World and see the sea animals do spectacular tricks. I bet there's a ton of "oooohs," and "aaahhhhs" throughout the show, and much excitement and clapping to see the sea creatures perform amazing feats for the audience. However, a few years ago I was enlightened and today I will never, ever again visit a zoo, a circus, and definitely not Sea World or the like, no matter how entertaining it might be for me, an animal should not have to suffer for my enjoyment.


Recently there have been a couple orca (killer whale) deaths at Sea World, deaths for unknown reasons. Actually, there is much data collected to show that these large, long-lived animals do not belong in captivity. The United States Humane Society released a press release today that shows a collection of data taken from the past 45 years showing that these large family-oriented mammals do not survive or thrive in captivity. Not only are the Orcas dying in captivity, but there have been quite a few human deaths related to these animals, yet in the wild these animals have been known to live 90 years and there are no reports of human deaths related to these animals despite the many contacts humans have made. The question being begged to ask is why?

Have you ever thought about what is going on from the animals' perspectives?

First, they are captured and taken from their homes, their families, their extended families or herds, then they are doomed to spend the rest of their lives behind bars in a simulated environment much smaller than the home they came from. They will no longer spend their entire lives with their family members as they would in the wild, and no longer will they be able to swim through the ocean for 100 miles a day or pick their own mate. They will now be fed simulated meals and no longer have to hunt for their food, and while this may seem like an easy life, to them it is taking away a part of who they are and what they instinctively know to do. They are then trained to do tricks and "act" for us humans, so that we can be entertained by them, but have you ever wondered how these animals are trained? The ways they are disciplined for unruly behavior? Yet when the animals acts out and hurts or kills their trainer or another human being we blame the animal.

I always just accepted that these animals were meant to amuse me, as a human being. I never thought about what they must endure. I never thought of what is going on behind the scenes, and I never thought about how difficult it must be for them to live under these circumstances in their simulated environments, to be taken from their homes, separated from their families, and forced to put on a show for human amusement. Yes, this is exactly what it comes down to: animals being abused so that we humans can be amused and a few can gain economically, and this problem persists because those of us who want to be entertained pay to view these captive animals. Many people still see nothing wrong with this! If we turn the tables and put ourselves in their paws, wings, or fins for just a moment, I think we would all agree that this is wrong and unethical, and a serious invasion of the rights of God's creatures.


Think about this scenerio for a few moments:  What would happen if Orcas took over the world and starting collecting select humans and keeping them in simulated, escape-proof environments in the middle of the ocean, far away from our family, friends, and homelands; kept us in tiny cages where we could never stretch or exercise how we were intended to do, and then began training us with whips and zappers for their entertainment and to make money off of us. Would this be exploitation? How about an abuse of our rights? Would that be unethical? Would we be a bit resentful? Angry? Frustrated? Depressed? Lonely? Would we and our young ones survive to a ripe, old age? And do you suppose that we would sometimes lash out when we've had enough emotionally, physically, and psychologically? And if so, who's fault would that be, and how should we be disciplined for acting out?  Should our penalty be to be put down? 

"A small body of determined spirits fired by an unquenchable faith in their mission can alter the course of history." ~Ghandi

RIP Kalina and all other animals who have died in captivity due to human entertainment.

Written by Tsilos Schoener

TS Beading

Born to Live, Made to Kill

 Dog Paw Keychain 

by TS Beading

"Dog fighting is a brutal, sadistic event motivated by barbarism of the worst sort and cruelty of the worst, worst, worst sadistic kind. One is left wondering, who are the real animals... the creatures inside the ring, or the creatures outside the ring." 

- U.S. Senator Robert Byrd of West Virginia, 2007

There are many people out there today and in history who enjoy dog fighting for various reasons. For some it’s the money that can be made or won, for others it’s for the social standing, and others yet it is the entertainment or the thrill of the fight. At one time dog fighting was popular and legal, and even had the support of local animal groups such as the United Kennel Club. However, as civilization has progressed there has been more and more controversy surrounding dog fighting, and in 1976 dog fighting was outlawed in all states in America. 

The controversy surrounding dog fighting is not only about the abuse that the fighting dogs undergo, but it is also about the groups of people who operate and promote dog fighting because oftentimes dog fighting is correlated with other illegal activities such as gambling, drugs, gangs, and other acts of violence. Although all of these other correlated activities are just as important and illegal as dog fighting, my focus in this post will be about what it is like in the life of a fighting dog. 

There are a few main breeds of dogs that are used in dog fighting. Most commonly in the USA, pit bulls are used, but there are a couple other breeds that are often used in other countries. Sadly, the stigma alone is a heavy weight to bear for any pit bull due to the fairly common mindset that pit bulls are somehow bad animals because of those who are raised to be fighting dogs. Personally, I had a pit bull who was an awesome dog and one of the friendliest and most compassionate dogs I've ever known, but I could always see the fear in people’s eyes when meeting him. I am a firm believer that animals, including humans, are products of their environments. Yet, unfortunately, for this breed of dog you will find many communities around this Nation that ban them based on stigma alone. This stigma is bad enough for dogs who were born to be loving companions, but for the dogs breed to be fighting dogs it is another world of pain just to be alive.

The dogs who are breed to fight have a battle from the day they are born. Those who breed dogs to fight raise them to be tough, mean, and ultimately to be killers. To accomplish this, the dogs are trained in harsh conditions. They are tied to heavy car towing chains to make them strong, they are provided with bait animals and taught to kill, and if they don’t succeed at being the toughest, meanest killers, then they are more often than not sentenced to death. I have read articles where the “failures” are shot, hung, left to starve, or baited to the other fighting dogs. 

Baited animals are animals that are put in the fighting ring to give the fighters practice. The baited animals can be rabbits, cats, or other dogs. When other dogs are used they sometimes have their snouts duct taped shut or their teeth removed or filed down so that they can’t fight back, and to give the fighter dog an unfair advantage in the name of gaining experience. These baited animals are oftentimes found in local ads that state, “free to a loving home,” and sometimes they are stolen from their homes or are found wandering the streets as strays. Most commonly they are smaller or weaker dogs to give the fighting dog a challenge with an unfair advantage. Sadly the baited animals are killed by the fighting dog, and just as sad is the fact that the fighting dog is trained to kill, and that means that if they are fortunate enough to get out of the fighting business, they are most likely unadoptable and end up having to be euthanized, a disheartening, tragedy that those who rescue these animals are left to deal with. They are left to clean up the mess and destruction that others create through their own selfishness and lack of consideration.

That is exactly how I view it. The people who breed these dogs, train these dogs, and are entertained by dog fights are selfish and lack consideration not only for other people and dogs, but for life itself. Apparently they see nothing wrong with what they are doing, and for them it’s all for their selfish entertainment, for their greed, and/or from their superfluously inflated, egotistical status quos that are attained from having or betting on a winning dog. These people are out to see blood, to see a fight so brutal that it ends up in death. Perhaps they figure that these animals have no feelings, perhaps they think that it’s ok because it’s “just” a dog’s life. Perhaps they just don’t care. I am of the contention that none of them have a basic respect for life. Bloodlust is not something I comprehend, but then again I never could understand the brutal reaping of innocence, especially to the point that the innocent become monsters themselves. Perhaps those who enjoy and thirst for bloodshed were victims themselves at some point; however, that is no excuse. To me, there is no excuse. We humans are supposed to be above that level of violence due to our abilities to think, reason, analyze, and overcome our primal instincts. Dog fighting is an example of a society gone wrong, and until people stand up and take responsibility for creating the problems that breed such monsters and rehabilitate them, there will continue to be animal “blood sports." 

In closing I would like to reiterate that not all pit bulls were raised to fight, not all pit bulls are dangerous, bloodthirsty fighters, and they should not all be treated as such. I’ve known many who are kind, gentle, compassionate, and are awesome companions. It’s not the dog itself that is bad, they all start out just as innocent; rather it is the environment in which they are raised. 

Together we can create change, and to start we must become aware. Spread the word, watch for signs, report suspicious activity, and don’t get involved or participate in dog fighting. Take care of your pets and don't let them wander, never advertise your animals as "free," and instead of letting them go as strays give them to your local pet shelter or rescue if you can no longer care for them. Let’s get these hateful operations shut down forever!

 Written by Tsilos Schoener

TS Beading

In the Eyes of a Horse

Horse Pendant by TSBeading

“When you look into a horse’s eyes, it’s like he can see into your soul”

That is a quote taken from my late mother when I asked her about her favorite animal and why. Throughout the years I have adored horses from close and from afar. I learned to ride before my back went out, and loved the sweet feeling of freedom on the back of this majestic animal who instinctively knew when I wanted to veer to the right or left, or whether I wanted to go trot, gallop, lope, or just walk quietly along. One particular horse that I rode had been kicked pretty badly when he had a child on his back. That horse took the full blow so as not to disturb or uproot the child, and the child went away unscathed, but for that noble horse it was a different story. The horse had to receive medical attention and therapy for a while, and while his body recovered, he was never the same in his mind. He was leery of other horses getting too close, and I was instructed to keep a distance from the others due to his nervousness. The horse’s leeriness didn’t only stem from the kick, it also stemmed from his instinct to protect his human rider.

Such as the way it is with many domesticated animals. They adopt their humans as much as we humans adopt them, and they instinctually protect their humans as much as most humans instinctually try to protect them. In my opinion, it is extremely unfortunate that not all humans understand and respect this relationship with animals, and even more unfortunate when humans abuse animals, whether they are big or small, whether they are domestic or wild, and that is what I am here to discuss today; wild horses. Wild horses have a long, interesting history in the United States that I won’t get into in this post because I would rather discuss the current issues with wild horses.

Current American wild horses are also known as feral horses because they were at one time domesticated and then set free. These are the horses that helped form the fabric of the United States. Our ancestors had horses that were not only their servants but their companions. These horses aided us in battles, they worked our fields, they pulled our carriages, and they were also our friends. The USA wouldn’t be what it is today without our horses. Yet, today many of them are left to roam and wander the plains, left to fend for themselves. It is deeply disturbing to me that at one time we couldn’t live without them, revered them even, but after that need was gone because of the advances in technology, we leave them out in the cold, and then if that wasn’t enough, we go to extreme measures to get rid of them altogether.

While it may be true that these horses wander out of public lands in search of food or water, it is beyond my comprehension how people can be so cruel to this wondrous animal that was brought here, served us, and was once indispensible. The largest issues with wild horses today are: slaughtering them for animal and human consumption, transporting them for slaughter, the use of experimental drugs on them, the methods used to catch or trap them, and the methods used to transport and care for them after they’ve been caught.

While the last horse slaughterhouse was closed down in 2007 due to the enactment of a state law, there still is no federal law banning horse slaughter for human or animal consumption. Many horses are stolen or caught and then brought across the borders to be slaughtered in less than ideal conditions. No animal deserves this kind of abuse, and I wonder why the US hasn’t enacted a law to protect horses from slaughter and being transported to be slaughtered in other countries. While slaughtering is one way to get rid of horses in an inhumane manner, there is another being used the United States Humane Society that is claimed to be a more acceptable method of reducing the number of wild horses: Experimental drugs.

The United States Humane Society is currently darting mares with a drug that is not approved by the FDA or publicly available to create infertility. This is an experimental drug known as PZP. This drug has been known to backfire and sometimes it doesn’t work at all, further, it is outlawed in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania. What are we doing to these horses? While it is stated that the drug is short-term and only lasts a year or two, does it really? Is it meant to slow down the birth rate of wild horses, or are they looking to make them extinct altogether? Once again we are messing with natural evolution. We are taking it upon ourselves to weed out gene pools in animals. Haven’t we learned our lessons throughout history? Why would any government allow this to happen to a former icon of its country?

Wild horses are managed through the Bureau of Land Management, or BLM. In 1971 the Wild Horse Annie Act was established prohibiting the use of motor vehicles or aircraft to catch or trap wild horses, but eight years later that law was amended and currently reads that the BLM is excluded from this law. If you look around on the internet you will find many videos, articles, and testimonials of the ways in which wild horses are being caught today by the BLM and by those who think they are above the law. Helicopters are being used to chase down herds of wild horses, and if that wasn’t emotionally and physically distressing enough, they have repeatedly done this during foaling season. The mares end up aborting their foals or their foals are too young to keep up and are left orphans in the pasture. The ones that are able to keep up get trampled as they are herded into pens, end up orphans because they lose their mothers, they end up dying from exhaustion and distress, or are otherwise injured. Herds of horses end up losing members of their families. If you are brave enough to stomach the videos, you too will see stallions and mares running for their lives, you will see the fear in their eyes as they are chased by helicopters; the injuries they sustain from the long, frightening run. You will also see horses so frightened they severely injure themselves to escape, and when they do they’ve also lost their entire family, their herd.

Why? Why does the BLM do this? They do it to appease the people who complain about being intruded upon. They round up the horses and send them to large ranches who then attempt to adopt some of these horses out to the public. Sometimes these horses are lucky and end up in a loving home to people who know how to handle a horse that has been frightened and removed from his home and family, but many end up living out their lives at the BLM ranches where they are brought because they are unadoptable for any number of reasons. These BLM ranches get a daily stipend per horse that is costing taxpayers millions of dollars per year. Although there are other ways that have been proposed that would be easier on the horses and taxpayers, the BLM insists on doing things the same.

What is the solution? The solution lies in compassion for these revered animals who were brought here, who faithfully served us in our times of need, who were our companions. There are many organizations out there that are working towards a solution, some have better ideas than others, some are fad organizations, and some really are making a difference. One thing they all have in common is that they believe they can help in some way, but they need our support. They don’t all need money contributions, some need volunteers to work with the horses, some need help writing letters, and some need item contributions such as items they can sell or use while working with the horses. The solution also lies in helping to get the BLM to change their tactics, helping to change US Legislation, helping form a sanctuary where wild horses can continue to roam, or in opening up your home and taking in one of these majestic animals so that they can regain their honor and once again serve us and be our companions. You don't have to do everything listed here to help all horses, but a little help can mean the world to a horse in need.

If my mother was right and a horse can indeed see into our souls, what would a horse see in yours?

Written by  Tsilos Schohener

TS  Beading   

28 Neglected Greyhounds found in Fort Worth

This incident was brought to my attention by a fellow Etsy for Animals: Artists Helping Animals (EFA) member. I thought it was only appropriate to share the information here.

If they could these tick infested and malnourished Greyhounds would have thanked a Fort Worth Water Department employee for noticing a large number of animals and for taking the time to contact Fort Worth Animal Care and Control. Thanks to this active citizen, 28 greyhounds were found.

Read more about this incident in the Dallas Morning News.

According to the EFA member, one has already perished. The rest have been taken in by the Greyhound Adoption League of Texas and Greyhounds Unlimited. They are holding a benefit auction for these greyhounds called Emergency Carpe Canem Auction for Texas Hounds.
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Disclaimer: CFA is a group of artists and crafters who love animals and do their best to share information about these type of events. However, CFA does not check if these events are accurate or true so please feel free to complete your own investigation. Thanks!