No Monkey Business

New Delhi has come up with a different, natural and humane method of animal control for their annual Commonwealth Games.  Every year, over 70 nations gather together to compete in the games, but are subject to attacks - by monkeys!  The Common Indian Bonnet Monkey are known to often attack humans, but are terrified of langurs.  So this year, about a dozen Gray langurs and their caretakers were hired by the Commonwealth Games Organizing Committee to protect the thousands of spectators and athletes that will be present.  The Gray langurs can be tame amongst people, but just one can scare off close to 20 Common Indian Bonnets at a time.  Using the langurs as an animal control method not only saves the lives of many Common Indian Bonnets, but extends job opportunities those involved in the animal community.

Donations Needed

The Oahu SPCA is looking for donations of towels, blankets, or sheets for the Kapolei shelter.  If you would like to donate, their shelter is located at 91-1839 Roosevelt Ave. Building 1142 in Kapolei.  Donations are accepted on Tuesdays through Sunday from 10am - 3pm.  If you are unable to get to their Kapolei shelter, there are still 2 days left to make donations to them through any Foodland in Hawaii.

For those not on Oahu or living in Hawaii, shelters are always looking for donations.  Animal shelters across the US are constantly overflowing with strays, abused, abandoned, and orphaned animals.  The upkeep of these shelters is extremely high and donations are always in demand.  Currently, shelters such as NYC Animal Care & Control, Miami-Dade County Animal Shelter, and the Kentucky Humane Society are requesting for much needed items.  Aside from monetary donations, below is a list of items that you can donate to a shelter near you!

 Cat Supplies:

• Non-Clumping Litter (Clay non-scoopable is preferred)
• Dry and/or Canned Food for cats and kittens
• Canned Tuna 
• Kitten Milk Replacement
• Washable Cat Toys (Preferably no catnip)

Dog Supplies: 

• Dry and/or Canned Food for dogs and puppies
• Small Dog Treats
• Leashes/Collars of all sizes
• Durable and Washable Dog Toys
• Nyla Bones

Small Animals' Supplies:

• Timothy and Alfalfa Pellets and Hay
• Bird Food
• Pine Fillers
• Small Cages
• Small Animal Toys

Cleaning Supplies:

• Bleach
• Laundry Detergent
• Paper Towels
• Hand Sanitizer
• Dish Washing Soap
• Brooms and Dustpans

Other Special Requests:

• Blankets
• Towels
• Sheets
• Bandanas  
• Latex Gloves
• Ear Thermometers
• Electric nail clippers
• Animal Carriers
• Small Animal Carriers

Having a Cow

In the US, there are many states that pride themselves in rodeos and have chosen to name it their official state sport.    The intent is to display the power of man over beast.  They are thought to be cultural, with the cruelty aspect being ignored or denied.  Although many rodeo organizations now have regulations on the treatment of the animals on and off the rodeo grounds, there are still those who ignore the regulations.

 Most rodeos hold standard events: steer wrestling, steer roping, tie-down and team roping, saddle and bareback horse riding, bull riding, and barrel racing.  All of these involve animals involuntarily exposing themselves and allowing humans to control them in a biased environment.  Everything in the rodeo is set up for man to dominate in dangerous situations that they have created themselves.  Many of people still utilize tools to torment the animals.  Naturally, when an animal is in pain, it acts defensively.  Electric rods, bucking straps, and heel and strap spurs are all used to aggravate the animals to make them look more fearsome and wild, and make the cowboy look like a hero.

The events that are held in rodeos can be traced back to the 1700s, when the Spanish horsemen  worked the Western farmsteads.  However, after over 3 centuries of technology, today we have other ways to work our lands that should have replaced the practices.  Instead, these practices are now used purely for greed and entertainment.  Despite the fact that we live in a more educated and modern world, there are still those who insist rodeos are a necessity.

The rodeos revolve around animals' reaction to fear and pain- undoubtedly animal cruelty.  Find your state's laws regarding rodeos here.  If your state supports and holds rodeos, speak up!  Support culture without cruelty.  There are several different ways you can take action in your community to ending animal cruelty.  Need help?  Contact GentleLamb.

Photo by animalsaustralia.org & Perry Backus

Guard Down

Yet again, dogs have been shot and killed for doing something that comes naturally to them and something you expect them to do- protecting their territory.  Late yesterday afternoon, Sacramento police were conducting a random probation home search and entered into the backyard.  There, officers say they were "attacked" by four pit bulls that they did not know were on the property.  One of the officers shot three of the dogs, killing two, and the surviving dogs were taken into custody by Animal Control.  Currently, there is no evidence of any dog bites or that an actual physical attack occurred.  The dogs were believed to have been simply protecting their home, as any dog would instinctively do (regardless of breed!).

Let us know how you feel!!  Do you believe the shooting officer should be reprimanded for making such a move??

Does this upset you as much as it does GentleLamb?  Express your feelings to Sacramento's Representatives here.

Lost & Found

Today my husband and I were on our way to pay our electric bill in town.  As we came up to the Beretania and Ward intersection, all of a sudden a tiny white cat with an orange and black patch on her head came running into the middle of traffic!  She quickly ran back to the side walk, dodging a black Dodge Ram truck, and hissing at the car in front of us.  The poor cat, lost and scared, then attempted to run to the other side of the street again, to a park.  Right off the bat, I could tell she was a house cat from how terrified and lost she was acting, so I had my husband jump out of the car and get her.  Alright, maybe running in the middle of traffic made a couple people upset, but we could not just keep driving away while knowing that she was in danger.  I pulled into the gas station to the right of me, and saw my husband walking back to me with the cat safely in his arms.  She was pregnant.  With no sign of her owner, we quickly wrapped her up in a blanket and drove her to the Hawaiian Humane Society.  The first thing they checked for was her identification, and luckily, she had a microchip!  We were so happy to hear that her family was going to be contacted.

On O'ahu, and in several other different counties across America, all dogs are required to be registered with the City & County and wear their tags when outside.  It would be a good idea to leave the dog's license on at all time, just in case they do get loose.  Cats, however, are not required to be registered, but are required to have some form of ID.  Cats can either have a microchip, which is surgically inserted between their shoulder blades, or a simple tag with your address and phone number.  Collars with tags are a good simple form of ID, but can easily be slipped off by your slick cat when you're not looking (no matter how secure you think you've made it).

Keep your friends safe by giving them IDs today!  Ask your vet or local humane society about ID tags and microchips today!  Please don't wait til it's too late!

Foodland in September

Right now, you can help Hawaii's pets just by shopping!  Throughout the month of September, Foodland's Give Aloha Program is accepting donations up to $249 for any non-profit organization in Hawaii.  Foodland and Western Union has agreed to match every donation up to a total of $325,000.  Just go to any Foodland or Western Union and say you want to donate to your favorite organization.  Below is a list of several, but not all, participating non-profit organizations you can donate to!

• East Maui Animal Refuge "The Boo Boo Zoo" on Maui
• Maui Humane Society
• Kauai Humane Society
• Starfire Companion Animal Sanctuary on the Big Island
• Hawaii Island Humane Society
• Animal Rights Hawaii on Oahu
• Hawaii Animal Sanctuary on Oahu
• Oahu Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals
• Hawaiian Humane Society on Oahu
• Hawaii Cat Foundation
• Cat Friends
• Hawaii Dog Foundation
• 9th Life Hawaii on Maui

Visit Foodland's website for more information or click here for a full list of participating organizations.

Bronx Alert!

It has been reported that someone in the Bronx is poisoning animals, and possibly attempting to eliminate feral cats.  The ASPCA has been posting posters on East 235th Street alerting pet owners while investigating the matter.  For pet owners, this is a time to be especially cautious when allowing your pet to run outside or taking them for walks.  Always keep an eye on your animal when they are outside, making sure they do not eat any foreign, unknown objects that could put their lives in danger.  For pet owners and lovers in New York, visit the ASPCA's New York website to learn more about what you can do for your pet's safety.  You can also contact them if you have any information or questions on the poisonings.  For pet owners and lovers in Hawaii, there are a few 24 hour emergency care centers available for your animals.  A list of these centers can be found under "Helpful Links & Contacts".

Flying towards Extinction

Quite literally, actually.  Yet another indigenous and endangered species to Hawaii is rapidly disappearing.  The Palila bird was listed as endangered in 1967.  However, in the past two years alone, the Palila population has decreased from 2,200 to 1,200 birds, as stated by the state Department of Land and Natural Resources and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service .  The state had been warned, fined, and sued on multiple occasions for failing to maintain and preserve the Palila habitat on the island of Hawaii.  This habitat was meant to provide a safe environment, free of predators, but is constantly overrun by feral goats and sheep.  These goats and sheep prefer to eat the same mamane foods, just as the Palila.  The habitat does have a 55-mile long fence that was meant to keep the unwanted animals from entering the habitat.  However, the state has been told for decades now that the fence is inadequate and faulty.

Federal reports show Hawaii's native birds to be the most jeopardized because of the lack of care the state shows for its animals.  During this election season, help the animals by asking your local representatives what they plan to do about animal rights and cruelty.  Ask them exactly when will the animals receive aloha as well.  But don't stop there!  Everyone knows that in Hawaii, word gets around.  Spread the word amongst your friends, family, city council members, teachers, and coaches.  Sometimes gossip really can help change the world.

Fishing for Answers

Throughout the year, concrete sculptures of the Hawaiian O'opu have mysteriously appeared at Kapolei High School.  All of the concrete sculptures are pointing to the school's library, as if they were "mudskipping" their way there.  So far, the 9 sculptures on campus have raised questions as to where they came from and what they mean.  Rumors have spread in the community that the high school would soon be known as the Kapolei Mudskippers.  The rumors have raised concern amongst those proud to be known as the Kapolei Hurricanes.  School administrators want to reassure the community that the Hurricanes are here to stay.

Although he did not intend to spread those rumors, Kazu Kauinana was overjoyed to learn that the students were questioning his artwork.  Kauinana is a Kanaka Maoli artist who had been working on the project for years after receiving a grant from the state's Foundation on Culture and the Arts.  The projects focus was to spark curiosity amongst students to promote learning and education, and it's apparent that the project has so far been successful.  The project also encourages students to learn more about the O'opu fish, which was greatly revered by Hawaiians for its perseverance, courage, and strength.  Later on this year, two more sculptures will be placed in the library, symbolizing perseverance in education and courage in life.

No Aloha for Animals

In December of 2009, the Animal Legal Defense Fund (ALDF) released their annual report which ranks animal cruelty laws across the US.  Hawaii was ranked to be one of the top five states with the weakest laws protecting animals.  In a state that thrives in sharing Aloha with each, it's a shame to hear that there is no such Aloha for animals.  Since the release of the report, several animal abuse, neglect, and mistreatment issues have surfaced in Hawaii.

Hawaii is a special place to live with many beautiful animals that can only be found here, such as the Newell's shearwater.  The Newell's shearwater is a native, endangered seabird that nests particularly on the mountains of Kauai and feed at sea.  The birds and their young heavily rely on moonlight as they travel between the two.  However, every year the population decreases because the birds are confused by man made lighting.  Andrea Erichsen, the Kauai Seabird Habitat Conservation Plan (HCP) Coordinator since 2005, claims that this has been an on-going problem for over 30 years.  On September 09,  in US District Court, Kauai County pleaded guilty to contributing to the decrease of 60% of the shearwater population.  The county was commended by Earthjustice for taking responsibility, but the situation only proves that there is a lack of laws protecting animals and poor enforcement of current laws that do.

In June,  an employee of a Waimanalo puppy mill came forward to report terrible conditions for dogs on the farm.  Some of what he reported included filthy kennels with inadequate space and dogs who were ill and neglected.  Hearing this, Last Chance for Animals investigated and found the mill to be storing unsold animals in containers like products and using female dogs as breeding machines in tight, unsanitary spaces.  This sparked an outrage in the state and moved local pet stores to come forward with information on unlicensed breeders who were illegally selling animals to pet stores.  When the issue became public, it also caught the attention of Senator Clayton Hee.  Hee has publicly admitted that Hawaii's laws regarding animals need to be greatly improved and enforced.  He plans to work on creating laws to regulate puppy mills and allow animal inspectors to enforce those laws.  Currently, Hawaii has absolutely no laws on puppy mills and animal inspectors have to ask permission to inspect the property.

With news from the past three months alone, it is more than apparent that Hawaii's animal laws need improvement.  Visit the Hawaiian Humane Society's website for different ways you can help in your community!  Help show Aloha for Hawaii's animals!

 

Colorado Wildfire

Congratulations to the Boulder County Animal Control and the Red Star Animal Emergency Services team of the American Humane Association for saving so many lives!  A Colorado Wildfire, which broke out on Labor Day, has taken the homes of many families, and the lives of many pets.  AHA, Boulder Valley Humane Society, and Longmont Humane Society have come together to find stranded or displaced pets, provide them with much needed health support, and return them to their families.  The Red Cross has also sheltered many families who still have their pets at a local YMCA, allowing families to stay together.

The Humane Society of Boulder Valley is offering a number of ways to donate to those affected by the fire.  For those outside of Boulder Valley, you can donate through their website, or $10 via cell phone by texting PETS to 50555 (standard data and message rates may apply).  For those close to Boulder Valley, you can donate at their Thrift Shop on Arapahoe Avenue between September 09 - September 15.  Visit their website for more opportunities/information.

The Longmont Humane Society is also offering several ways to donate.  At this time, they are in need of cat supplies such as non-clumping litter and canned cat food.  They are also accepting cat/dog treats, cat/dog toys, canned tuna, and hand sanitizers.  Donations can be delivered to their shelter between 9AM - 7PM or to Camp Bow Wow.  Monetary donations are also greatly needed, and can be donated at their shelter or here.

For more news on animals affected in the wildfire, visit the links below.

• American Humane Association - Colorado Wildfire

• 9News - Animals in Search of Help

• Fourmile Canyon Fire Help