The online home of Kitty Mowmow’s Animal Expo, the new hit radio show on WVUA-FM, 90.7 The Capstone that features music and news related to animals. Tune in to 90.7 FM on Sundays, 9-10 PM EST, or go to www.thecapstone.ua.edu and click on Listen Live Online to hear 90.7 FM in real time. Kitty Mowmow’s Animal Expo – The Voice of the Animals of the University of Alabama and Beyond!
The Humane Society of Hall County was forced to euthanize most of the animals in its shelter Thursday in order to control an outbreak of respiratory disease.
Humane society president Rick Aiken said the illness was a contagious but typically non-fatal virus similar to kennel cough, or bordatella. Ironically, the society recently received a grant to vaccinate incoming animals against bordatella.
“Unfortunately, if an animal comes in and is already incubating the virus, the vaccine doesn’t do any good,” Aiken said. “And as a full-service shelter, we can’t turn animals away. We have to take everything that comes in.”
Even though the illness is not fatal, and the society provided free treatment for any adopted pet who became ill, Aiken said some owners were upset about adopting an animal that turned out to be sick.
“We had to make a decision,” he said. “Three or four days ago, we started isolating new animals that came in, and only one person could take care of them. Then, all the animals that had not been isolated would be euthanized.”
The high price of gas and food and other items is having an effect on animals as well. The Humane Society says it has been seeing an unfortunate trend taking place that hasn’t been this common in a number of years…
Zeus is a healthy, impressive-looking bull mastif/boxer mix, with a sweet personality. His owner almost broke down as he dropped Zeus off at the Bonneville Humane Society, and said goodbye.
In her 7 years, Sally Rigoulot has never seen so many animals given up.
Sally Rigoulot, Bonneville Humane Society pet manager: “With the prices of everything going up, a lot of people can’t afford their pets so they leave them behind.”
You want to work with animals, and you’ve seen those animal cops shows on TV. You’re intrigued by the idea of locking up abusers and throwing away the keys.
But it’s not all about animals – or law enforcement, either. Humane law-enforcement officers agree on the most important thing to know about their job: “The majority of time is spent dealing with people, not with animals,” says Adam Parascandola, director of Oakland Animal Services in Oakland, Calif.
Scott Giacoppo, chief of field services for the Washington Humane Society in Washington, D.C., estimates that humane law-enforcement officers spend 85 to 90 per cent of their time on education and only 10 per cent on prosecution.
“We go out to every situation with the idea of making it better for the animal,” he says.
But this doesn’t mean making an arrest every time you find a skinny dog. “Maybe they’re (the owners) giving table scraps – they can’t afford dog food. Maybe we can donate some food to help them over a tough time. Or maybe it would be best for the pet to try to place them into a new home.”
An undercover vegan wired with a camera no bigger than a sugar cube spent six weeks last fall working at a Southern California slaughterhouse. To fit in, he brought sandwiches made with soy riblets and ate them in a dusty parking lot with the other workers.
He tried not to worry about the emotional toll that long days escorting cows to the kill might have. He had more practical concerns, like whether the camera switch hidden in his pocket would fail or a cow would smash into him and crack the recording equipment taped to his body.
The Humane Society of the United States first gave a 32-minute video made from his footage to the San Bernardino County district attorney, then in January released an edited version on its Web site and to a newspaper. The video showed workers flipping sick dairy cows with forklifts, prodding them with electricity and dragging them with chains to be processed into ground meat, some of which likely ended up in chili and tacos at public school cafeterias.
It was as if someone gave Upton Sinclair a video camera and a Web link. Animal cruelty charges were filed, the slaughterhouse was shut down and Congress held hearings. The Agriculture Department announced the recall of more than 143 million pounds of meat — the largest in the nation’s history. (Cows so sick they can’t walk can’t legally be processed into food because they may have mad cow disease, also known as bovine spongiform encephalopathy, a form of which can be passed on to humans.)
After more than 25 years of tactics that have included tossing a dead raccoon on to the lunch plate of Anna Wintour, the Vogue editor; boycotting fast-food restaurants; and staging legal challenges, the animal rights movement had a bona fide hit.
A new generation of cameras so small they can be hidden in eyeglass frames or a hat — together with the rise of YouTube and the growing appeal of so-called citizen journalism — has done for animal rights advocates what the best-organized protest could not. Perhaps more than other social agitators, people concerned about animals raised for food have discovered that downloadable video can be the most potent weapon in their arsenal.
Like you, I care deeply about animals and don’t ever want to see them suffer.
I’ll never forget the first time I saw the shocking images: conscious seal pups being clubbed over the head and dragged across the ice … with some baby seals even skinned alive. I vowed right then to do everything I could to help stop this senseless cruelty.
Why boycott Canadian seafood? Seal hunting is an off-season activity for Canada’s commercial fishermen, who earn a small fraction of their incomes from killing baby seals for their fur. That’s why a financial blow to the commercial fishing industry’s seafood exports is key to bringing about an end to this vicious slaughter.
The person who recruits the most new pledge signers will win a fabulous seal-themed prize pack from me. This prize pack includes a signed photo, my new T-shirt (see photo to the right), a campaign hoodie, and cute seal mug and baby seal plush toy. Ten runners-up will receive a signed photo and the baby seal plush toy. The more people you get to sign the pledge between now and midnight March 24, the greater the chance you’ll have to win! You can send up to 10 emails per message and up to 20 messages per day. Read all of the contest rules.
After what I have witnessed these past several days, there’s nothing I wouldn’t do to help prevent these defenseless baby seals from being brutally slaughtered for their fur — most of which is exported to Europe. You see, I’ve just returned from the ice floes in the Gulf of St. Lawrence, where I joined my friends at The Humane Society of the United States in viewing an extraordinary sight — the birth of thousands of harp seal pups across a pristine and peaceful winter landscape. View my photos of this amazing place here. It’s so painful to think that in only a few weeks’ time, this beautiful seal nursery will be transformed into a scene of bloody carnage.
Your involvement during these next few weeks is critical — because our campaign is starting to achieve real results. Since the ProtectSeals boycott began, the value of Canadian snow crab exports to the United States has plummeted $465 million (in Canadian dollars). Help us keep the pressure on Canada’s fishing industry by joining more than 545,000 people who have already signed the pledge!
It only takes a few minutes to speak up for baby seals. If we all act now, this may be the last commercial seal hunt any of us ever has to witness.
Raising Rabbits
Easter isn’t such a treat for rabbits who are given as gifts or for the animal shelters and rabbit rescue groups tasked with helping them after the Easter glow wears off. Learn more about the care of these complex creatures and what you need to know if you’re looking into adoption.
Trap, Neuter, Return, Repeat
Ann Maffitt had never heard of Trap-Neuter-Return (TNR)—a method for keeping feral cat populations in check—but she wanted to help the cats in her barn. Her local TNR training program taught her more about feral cats than she ever thought possible. Read Maffitt’s story on how she helped give her barn cats a better life.
Easter Sunday will be here faster than a racing rabbit, so be sure to check out our top five tips to help keep your pets safe and healthy during the holiday.
Dogs have something to celebrate with Wyoming’s passage of a bill making dogfighting a felony crime. Now the cruel bloodsport carries felony penalties in all 50 states.
Think your friends would enjoy reading Pets for Life and helping out The HSUS? Let them know…
There are just four days left! Thousands of pet lovers have entered their animal companions in our Spay Day USA pet photo contest, sponsored by Nature’s Miracle and Zoombak. If you haven’t entered the contest yet, take a moment today to enter the contest and spread the word that spaying and neutering saves pets’ lives. It’s fun and it’s free — so what have you got to lose? And be sure to check out our new campaign t-shirts and cool prizes for contest winners, too.
Let everyone know how spaying and neutering helps animals and the community!
Spread the word that spaying and neutering is a simple, effective, and humane solution to pet overpopulation by proudly wearing one of our cool, new spay/neuter campaign t-shirts.
You’ve still got time to enter your favorite furry or feathered friend in our contest — but the deadline is this Friday, March 7th, so don’t delay!
There are two ways to win: Our celebrity judges will choose 36 top photos and stories as finalists. The Grand Prize winner will get a studio session with premier pet photographer Amanda Jones. Ten finalists will receive a custom painting of their pet, based on their winning photos, by pet portrait artists Janie Coleman or Kirk Fanelly. And 25 honorable mentions will receive a selection of salon-quality grooming products from John Paul Pet. All 36 winners will also receive a selection of products from Nature’s Miracle and a Zoombak Advanced GPS Dog Locator.
In addition, 500 top vote-getters will be chosen by popular vote and will receive a bottle of Nature’s Miracle stain and odor remover. The 500 top vote-getters will also be entered into a drawing to win one of 10 custom portraits of their pet, based on their photos, by pet portrait artists Sandra Merwin or Amanda Moeckel. Read the contest rules and enter today!
Sincerely,
Wayne Pacelle
President & CEO
The Humane Society of the United States
Remembering Marie
Have you ever had a pet who influenced your faith or religion? Read Stephen Webb’s story of faith, love and his dachshund—Marie—who inspired him think of the link between religion and pets.
Small Things Considered
When you think of pet mills, puppies most likely come to mind. The truth is that hamsters, birds and ferrets are also being churned out by mass-breeding facilities and then sold to pet stores. The HSUS shares the truth about pet mills and the needs of small animals kept as pets.
Cats can be trained with positive reinforcement the same way we train dogs. See how you can train your cat with treats and praise—he just might just impress your friends and family with a trick or two.
The HSUS and famed meat alternative company Tofurky are joining forces to help animals. Starting with the deli slices, all Tofurky products will soon carry the HSUS logo.
Think your friends would enjoy reading Pets for Life and helping out The HSUS? Let them know…
The Humane Society of Indianapolis says it will stop accepting stray animals and begin requiring frustrated pet owners to go through “surrender counseling” before it takes their pets.
Both changes are meant to help the Humane Society close a $200,000 annual budget deficit while reducing the number of animals for which the society must find new homes. But it could mean that Marion County’s other large shelter, run by the county’s Animal Care and Control agency, may have to deal with another 4,000 to 5,000 animals.
Many of those will have to be euthanized — as it is now, the city’s pound takes in about 18,000 animals a year and kills more than 11,000 of them. Last year, the Humane Society took in nearly 9,000 animals, with strays making up a little more than 2,100.
County officials expect that they not only will have to take care of all strays, but thousands of animals that may be rejected by the Humane Society or whose owners want to get rid of them without undergoing counseling.
Super Tuesday
Tuesday is the 14th annual Spay Day USA, and special events will be taking place nationwide—including discounted spay/neuter clinics and a bill-signing ceremony in Los Angeles. Find out what’s going on in your community, and help spread the message of Spay Day USA.
Come Together
If all you need is love, consider adopting a companion animal from your local animal rescue group or shelter. Learn how you can develop an unbreakable bond when you offer a pet another chance at a happy, healthy life.
Uno the beagle might have been top dog at the Westminster Kennel Club Dog Show, but his popularity could have a down side for dogs in puppy mills and shelters. The HSUS has advice for anyone considering adding a beagle or any other dog to their family.
Hundreds of animal advocates across the nation braved frigid temperatures, snow storms and freeway closures on Feb. 13 to help pass laws protecting animals. Read about their successes, and learn how to lobby for animals in your community.
Think your friends would enjoy reading Pets for Life and helping out The HSUS? Let them know…
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Beef Recall Underscores Need to Protect “Downer” Cows
Dear Kitty Mowmow,
Yesterday, the USDA issued the largest recall of beef in U.S. history, the latest action in response to The Humane Society of the United States’ groundbreaking undercover investigation of a dairy cow slaughter plant in Southern California.
The recall of 143 million pounds of beef came two days after San Bernardino County District Attorney Michael Ramos filed criminal charges against slaughter plant workers caught on video torturing crippled cattle, and two weeks after the USDA shut down that slaughter plant.
Our undercover investigation revealed shocking abuses of “downed” dairy cows — those who are too sick or injured to walk — at the Hallmark Meat Packing Company slaughter plant. Cows too weak to stand were dragged along the ground, shocked with electric prods, rammed with forklifts, and even forced to endure water being forced into their noses and throats — an act right out of the manual on water boarding.
Our video of the cruelty is very difficult to watch. Even worse is the thought that an outfit like Hallmark Meat Packing Company got away with this kind of abuse every day, without proper oversight from the USDA.
Canines and Molars
Taking care of your dog or cat’s teeth is one of the most important things you can do for his or her health. February is National Pet Dental Health Month—read how to keep your best friend’s teeth pearly white and fend off tartar, plaque and bacteria that can harm your pet’s health.
The Race to End Racing
Long hours pent up in a tiny space with no visitors, no rewards and bad food. This is life for a racing greyhound. Read the story of Monkey and Snake, two retired racing dogs, and how their adoptive mom has made it her mission to close down two Mass. greyhound racetracks.
What are the most important things you should do to take care of your dog? Check out our Top 10 list that covers everything from food, exercise and collars to veterinary care and companionship.
Safeway is arguably the most recognizable name in U.S. grocery retailing. Now it has another distinction: becoming a leader in the grocery sector on animal welfare issues.
Think your friends would enjoy reading Pets for Life and helping out The HSUS? Let them know…
To celebrate Spay Day USA and share the message that spaying and neutering improves pets’ lives, The Humane Society of the United States invites you to enter our online photo contest for pets! It’s fun and it’s free.
To enter, simply upload a digital photo of your beloved pet and briefly tell us how he or she has made a difference in your life. Your furry (or feathered or finned) pal will then compete with other pets for a chance to win dozens of cool prizes!
There are two ways to win: Our
celebrity judges will award fabulous prizes to 36 entrants judged to have the best photos and stories — and the Grand Prize winner will receive a custom portrait of their pet, valued at $1,400, from premier pet photographer Amanda Jones. Ten runners up will receive custom pet portraits by one of two artists, and 25 honorable mentions will receive gift baskets featuring products from contest sponsors Nature’s Miracle and GPS-maker Zoombak.
You can also get votes for your pet to win other prizes. After you’ve entered the contest, you can forward your pet’s photo to friends and family and ask them to vote.
The HSUS’s annual Spay Day USA campaign highlights spaying or neutering pets as an effective and humane solution to the tragic problem of pet overpopulation.
I hope I’ll see your pet in the contest soon. Thank you for all you do for animals.
Sincerely,
Wayne Pacelle
President & CEO
The Humane Society of the United States
P.S.
Click here to tell us if you’d prefer not to receive future emails about the Spay Day USA Pet Photo Contest. (You will still receive other emails from The HSUS.)
Triple Trouble
So you’ve met your soul mate, and you’re in love, but your pet might not be too crazy about this new person in her life. Find out how you, your pet and your significant other can live together in harmony.
Sick Days
Living with an illness doesn’t mean that you have to live without your pets. In fact, pets can ease the pain, sorrow and loneliness often experienced during illness. Learn what precautions you can take to protect both you and your pets if you have a weakened immune system.
Indoor plants can be great for your home but deadly to pets. Check out our list of common poisonous plants that may produce a toxic reaction in animals.
An HSUS undercover investigation revealed horrific animal abuse at a slaughter plant that supplies meat to public school children and federal aid programs.
In this post, I’m enclosing an email I received from the Humane Society of the United States regarding their “Factory Farming Campaign.” I’m posting it here for educational purposes. Kitty Mowmow’s Animal Expo is going to stay neutral on this and many other animal-related issues. That is, I usually try to post news and opinions of others without letting my own opinions interfere. Kitty Mowmow’s Animal Expo should be considered a starting-point for discussion and one of many ways to educate yourself about animal-related news and issues.
-Kitty Mowmow
January 30, 2008
Tell USDA: Stop Allowing the Torture of Downed Cows to Feed Our Schoolchildren
Dragging cows too weak to stand. Shocking them with electric prods when they can’t walk. Ramming them with forklifts. Even forcing water down their throats — right out of the manual on waterboarding.
Our shocking undercover investigation revealed these and other abuses of “downed” dairy cows — those who are too sick or injured to walk — at a Southern California slaughter plant. And The Humane Society of the United States’ investigation also discovered that the meat from these tortured animals gets fed to children through the National School Lunch Program! Please watch our investigative video, and then take action today to stop this cruelty.
Our video of the cruelty is very difficult to watch. Even worse is the thought that an outfit like Hallmark Meat Packing Company got away with this kind of abuse every day, without proper oversight from the USDA.
The growing influence of animal rights activists increasingly is affecting daily life, touching everything from the foods Americans eat to what they study in law school, where they buy their puppies and even whether they should enjoy a horse-drawn carriage ride in New York’s Central Park.
Animal activist groups such as the Humane Society of the United States and People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA) say they are seeing a spike in membership as their campaigns spread.
“There’s been an explosion of interest” in animal welfare issues, says David Favre, a Michigan State University law professor and animal law specialist. “Groups like the Humane Society of the United States and PETA have brought to our social awareness their concerns about animals and all matter of creatures.”
Unchain My Heart
Many chained dogs across the country will receive very special valentines this year thanks to Dogs Deserve Better, a group dedicated to ending the suffering endured by perpetually chained dogs. Read how you can help chained dogs by making or sponsoring valentines, mailing coupons for dog food or anonymously reporting the address of a chained or penned dog who could use some love.
To the Rescue
Purebred rescue groups are a great option if you’re thinking of adopting a purebred dog or cat. Here are a few tips on how you can find a rescue group near you.
Is someone new taking care of your favorite feline while you’re away from home? Download and fill out our cat personality profile so you can provide your cat’s caretaker with all of her details, from your contact information to her favorite treats and games to play to help make sure she feels at home, even when you’re away.
When 11-year-old Haley Ham lost her pets to antifreeze poisoning, she was heartbroken. But this pre-teen turned her sadness into success when she embarked on a campaign to help other animals. Check out Wayne’s blog for the rest of Haley’s story, and find out how to protect your pets from antifreeze.
Check out this Letter to the Editor sent to the Albany Times Union from the Humane Society of the United States:
On behalf of nearly 800,000 members and supporters in New York, The Humane Society of the United States heartily applauds the state Department of Environmental Conservation and Commissioner Grannis for creating a public safety buffer zone free of body-crushing traps within 100 feet of public trails.
Residents should be able to observe and enjoy the great outdoors without fear of these traps, which have killed family pets and pose a mortal danger to children. Body-crushing traps are designed to slam shut with enough force to break the victim’s spinal cord, but often strangle or crush to death the animal. These powerful metal devices are nearly impossible to remove and are land mines for animals, closing rapidly on any creature who haplessly trigger them.
Legally, dogs under voice command can be off-leash. However, leashes are not a preventative tool in these cases. Dogs who move their noses and heads within the vicinity of a trap, whether on or off leash, will be caught and killed.
It is absolutely astonishing to read that J. Cea (letter, Jan. 14) claims the general public takes financial “advantage” of trappers. In fact, residents and taxpayers fund the DEC through the state budget; the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Report notes that wildlife observers outspend consumptive users. Thanks to the adoption of regulations by Commissioner Grannis and the DEC, we can all breathe a little easier next time we go for a walk in the woods.
Note: The image above is of a leg-hold trap, not a body-crushing trap. All the body-crushing trap pictures I could find either didn’t have an animal in it or were disturbingly bloody. This picture is mild, when compared to most others I found.
Moving On; Staying Together
As a foreclosure crisis looms nationwide, many pets are facing a grim future when their families leave them behind after abandoning their foreclosed homes. If you have pets and are facing financial hardship that could lead to relocation, find out about your options for keeping your animals together with the family.
Reptilian Risks
Keeping reptiles as pets can be hazardous to your health—-and theirs. From the risk of Salmonella to the need for a special diet and high levels of care, read the many reasons why The HSUS recommends that reptiles not be kept as pets.
Whether you want to adopt a pet or are searching for ways to volunteer for animals in your community, The HSUS can help you find your local animal shelter.
The HSUS and the Association of Veterinarians for Animal Rights have combined to create the Humane Society Veterinary Medical Association, a powerful new voice of veterinary advocacy. Learn more about the HSVMA.
Think your friends would enjoy reading Pets for Life and helping out The HSUS? Let them know…
Kitty Mowmow's Animal Expo is the new hit radio show that features news and music related to animals. You won't find us on the air any more, because very soon you'll be able to listen to Kitty Mowmow's Animal Expo as a podcast, whenever you want! Keep checking back with us to find out when and how you can listen to the podcasts. We'll let you know as soon as possible.
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Next Episode Airs May 11th, 8 PM to 9-ish or 10-ish PM!
Tune in to 90.7 FM if you're near Tuscaloosa, AL, or listen online at www.thecapstone.ua.edu if you're further away. You can also call in to the show with questions or comments by dialing 205-348-9070. I can hardly wait! :)
Kitty Mowmow's Animal Expo 