The Gulf oil spill hasn’t just affected wildlife, it’s also taking a toll on domestic pets.  The unfortunate people who worked for BP or who earned a living as fisherman prior to the spill, are suffering financially and don’t feel that they can afford to care for their pets any longer.  The number of  animals being relinquished to the St. Bernard Parish animal shelter has doubled, if not tripled, since the Gulf oil spill.  For complete story click HERE.

Pennsylvania has long been known as the puppy mill capital of the East.  Stringent new health and safety standards that went into effect in October required large-scale breeders to double cage sizes, eliminate wire flooring, and provide unfettered access to the outdoors. The new law also banned cage stacking, instituted twice-a-year vet checks, and mandated new ventilation and cleanliness standards.  While some breeders shelled out tens of thousands of dollars to comply with the strictest kennel law in the nation, scores of substandard commercial kennels have opted to close instead.  The number of commercial kennels in Pennsylvania plummeted from 303 at the beginning of 2009 to 111 today. For complete story click HERE.

A 16-year-old UK boy who cooked his brother’s hamster in a microwave has been sentenced to four months in a youth detention unit.  The Youth Court also banned him from keeping all animals for four years.  A veterinarian put the hamster to sleep and concluded that the hamster had been caused a great deal of pain and suffered unnecessarily. For complete story click HERE.

In addition to a growing sensitivity to the rights of animals, another significant reason for the increased attention to animal cruelty is a mounting body of evidence about the link between such acts and serious crimes of more narrowly human concern, including child abuse, rape and homicide. The link between animal abuse and interpersonal violence is becoming so well established that many U.S. communities now cross-train social-service and animal-control agencies in how to recognize signs of animal abuse as possible indicators of other abusive behaviors.  As animal abuse has become an increasingly recognized fixture in the context of other crimes and their prosecution, it is also starting to require the same kinds of sophisticated investigative techniques brought to bear on those other crimes. Two years ago, the American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals formed the nation’s first Mobile Animal Crime Scene Investigation Unit and veterinary forensic students at the University of Florida’s newly established Veterinary Forensics Medicine Sciences program are being trained in the same way that traditional crime-scene investigators are. Before 1990, only six states had felony provisions in their animal-cruelty laws; now 46 states do.  For complete story click HERE.

The California Spay and Neuter License Plate Fund, along with the California Veterinary Medical Board is launching a California Spay and Neuter Specialty License Plate Program to provide funding for free and low-cost spay and neuter surgery programs across California. The plates will feature original artwork created and donated by distinguished actor and artist Pierce Brosnan. The California Spay and Neuter License Plate Program will help raise awareness about the overwhelming number of homeless and unwanted dogs and cats in California and the importance of spaying and neutering pets to save animal lives. The program will fund spay and neuter surgeries through local animal care and control agency voucher programs and through in-house or local veterinary clinics. Read the full text of the release by clicking below.
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Toledo police Sgt. Mark Fry and his wife, who resuscitated a newborn fawn back to life after its mother was hit by a car, might be facing jail time and fines. The Frys said they won’t turn the wildlife animal over the Ohio Division of Wildlife because they are afraid the deer will be euthanized. But it’s illegal to keep a deer.  State wildlife officials said the fawn is a wild animal and it is not safe for the average pet owner. The state also worried about any diseases the fawn may have.  The Frys are accused of keeping the fawn at an undisclosed location while it is being nursed back to health. The Division of Wildlife said the case is an ongoing investigation. For complete story click HERE.

Using a hidden camera, an investigator from the animal rights organization Compassion Over Killing (COK) documented the abuse of newly-hatched chicks and ducklings while volunteering at Cal-Cruz Hatcheries in 2009. The video evidence inspired authorities to do a follow-up investigation that resulted in the seizing and medical examination of 88 ducklings. Of the 88 ducklings that required immediate veterinary care, 40 were euthanized due to their poor condition and the remaining 48 were treated and later sent to an animal sanctuary.  Despite the documentation by authorities, the District Attorney’s office declined to prosecute the hatchery because they claim they could not build and prove a case against specific individuals.  COK’s disappointment with the Santa Cruz District Attorney’s office prompted the group to release the extremely graphic video to the public last week. For complete story click HERE.

Marlene is an in-house pet sitter, “Grandma” to a myriad of dogs and Sam is her guardian angel.  Last November Marlene was caring for Sam, an 8 year old 90-pound American Staffordshire Pit Bull Terrier, while his owners were out of town.  Well after midnight Marlene was woken up by Sam gently nudging at her leg.  As Marlene awakened she sensed a dramatic drop in blood sugar. As a diabetic, she knew she was in trouble.  Her blood sugar registered dangerously low at 42, but fortunately climbed to normal limits after some cake and milk. Marlene had been insulin dependent for many years, but nothing like this episode had ever happened. She was dangerously close to a coma saved by Sam’s feat of detection. How Sam was able to detect her drop in blood sugar is a mystery, but Marlene is forever grateful to him for saving her life. For complete story click HERE.

Beaten and tied to a fence in Baltimore City, “Nitro” was not expected to live very long. But along came Trooper 1st Class Robert Lukiewski, who spotted the animal, cut him loose, took him to a Vet.  Only 23 pounds when he was found, Nitro now weighs a healthy 40 pounds and lives with 2 other dogs and 2 cats at Trooper Lukiewski’s Baltimore home!  Trooper Lukiewski instantly fell in love with the dog he rescued and promptly took him home after visiting a vet.  While most pit-bull’s found in similar situations don’t have such a happy ending to their story, Nitro is a lucky boy! For complete story click HERE.