Dispelling the term "Puppymill"

I really am going to try and make this the last polical rant for a time. Please read what Karen Strange has to say and at least give it some thought. "Puppymill" really does need to be seen as a bad word.

There is no legal definition for the term "puppymill".

The term "puppymill" is a phrase coined by animal rights activists and
supporters against anyone who breeds dogs, regardless of the care the animals
receive. The name-calling is a means to turn the unknowing public against all
dog breeders and to raise endless funds for continuous propaganda and
money-making schemes by animal rights activists and organizations.

There is a difference between professional kennels and sub-standard
kennels.
Professional breeders operate legal kennels, licensed by the state
department of agriculture as well as USDA, and meet or exceed all guidelines
pertaining to the health, care and well-being of their animals. They are active
members in good standing of state associations, attend seminars, and earn
continuing education hours for lectures on such topics as pre-natal and
post-natal care, nutrition, health care, socialization, grooming, kennel
management, tax preparation, ventilation, incubation and reproduction.

Substandard kennels are illegal, unlicensed facilities that produce
animals with no regards to their health and well-being.

No one supports neglect or abuse of animals. Calling legal, licensed,
professional breeders "puppymills" and claiming that they abuse their animals is
grossly unfair and unjust, and is not acceptable.

The term "puppymill" is a derogatory word used by animal rights activists
and supporters against anyone who breeds dogs, and is no more acceptable than
using slur names for those of different ethnic backgrounds. It is as degrading
and offensive to professional breeders to call them "puppymills" as it is to
call our fellow man slur names. It is not socially acceptable to call our fellow
man names, nor is it acceptable to call breeders slur names.

We ask that you refrain from using the term "puppymill", and that you
correct others that use the term to describe dog breeders. Animal rights
activists use the term to garner support for fundraising, and those funds are
being used to eliminate all agriculture, use and enjoyment of animals. Please
help us to stop the spread of animal rights issues. Let's all begin by
eliminating the term "puppymill" from our vocabulary.
　
Karen Strange,
President & Lobbyist
MoFed

Scam

I can't begin to say just how much scam in all its many forms just plain pisses me off. This is a new one to be watching out for and remember their goal is to part you from as much of your hard earned money as possible.

In this case the scam was received via fax. A quick google search turned up the fact that the very same thing with only a word change here or there is going on via snail mail and email. So here's the scivy:

Attention: Owner/Manager
FROM: Jennifer Preston, 609-613-5917

We are pleased to inform you that you and your business have been selected to be published for free in the 2009/2010 Edition of Princeton Who's Who of Executives, Professionals, & Entrepreneurs.

On June 24th your candidacy was approved. Your prompt response is needed to ensure your correct information is published. For accuracy purposes, please be sure to fill out the information below and FAX it back to 609-613-5917 at the earliest opportunity.

The office of the Managing Director appoints individuals based upon a candidate's current position, and usually with information obtained from researched executive and professional listings. The Director things that you may make an interesting biographical subject, as achievement is what Who's Who is all about.

Upon final confirmation, you will be listed among thousands of accomplished individuals in Princeton Who's Who. Remember, there is no cost to be included.

On behalf of the Managing Director, we look forward to your appearance in this year's edition. Best wishes for continued success.

Sincerely,
Jennifer Preston
Editor in Chief

Here are some details of the miscreants scammers and their
contacts:http://www.princetonpremier.com/

Owned by:Princeton Premier23-35a steinway stastoria, New York 11105United States

Registered through: GoDaddy.com, Inc. (http://www.godaddy.com)

Domain Name: PRINCETONPREMIER.COMCreated on: 11-Feb-07

Expires on: 12-Feb-09

Last Updated on:

Administrative Contact:nunziato, joseph admin@digitalhighs.comhttp://www.digitalhighs.com

Princeton Premier23-35a steinway stastoria, New York 11105United States7183546893

Technical Contact:nunziato, joseph admin@digitalhighs.comPrinceton Premier23-35a steinway stastoria, New York 11105United States7183546893

Domain servers in listed in order:

NS1.SECURESERVERDOT.COM
NS2.SECURESERVERDOT.COM

I swear, if I had any solid BLACK paper I would fax it to the number supplied. Meanwhile, just a head's up that this bunch is also doing the very same thing via telephone.

Noose Set to Tighten on Los Angeles Purebred Dogs

While the title is "Noose Set to Tighten on Los Angeles Purebred Dogs" keep in mind it is also set to tighten on cats as well. The H$U$ goal is to have no animals come in contact with any human for any reason at any time. There MUST be no compromise with these animal radicals. Any compromise is viewed as weakness and exploited to the fullest extent possible. Please read the below article. Please think long and hard about just how it will have an effect on you and your animals even if you live 3,000 miles away.

Meanwhile help this information go viral on the web. It is one more way to fight for your dog/cat. It is one more way to stay an owner.

The below is exactly why there can be no compromises with Animal Radical groups.

Judy Goldberg
Greylock Poodles

Noose Set To Tighten On Los Angeles Purebred Dogs

AKC Disqualification Shows Entire Nation The Danger of
Compromise, Apathy Or Agreeing To Biased Task Forces

by MARGO MILDE AND JOHN YATES
American sporting Dog Alliance
http://www.americansportingdogalliance.org/
asda@csonline.net

This report is archived at
http://eaglerock814.proboards.com/index.cgi?action=display&board=general&thread=\44

LOS ANGELES, CA - It will be next to impossible to own a sexually intact registered dog or cat within the City of Los Angeles, if City Council approves a series of recommendations by the Spay/Neuter Advisory Committee in a March 30, 2009,report. These recommendations have been sent to Los Angeles City Council and to Mayor Antonio R. Villaraigosa in final form, the American Sporting Dog Alliance has documented. Action on the recommendations could happen at any time.

It already is illegal in Los Angeles to possess a sexually intact dog that is registered with the Field Dog Stud Book (FDSB), and the committee's recommendations would cancel out current exemptions for approved show, field trial, performance and breeding dogs registered with the American Kennel Club (AKC), and also rare breed and smaller registries. The recommendations also may affect dogs registered with the United Kennel Club (UKC), and cats registered with the three top feline registries. Beginning this year, the ordinance has required all dogs and cats that did not qualify for an intact exemption to be spayed or neutered at the medically unsafe age of four months.

Now, however, it is clear that even these few exemptions are intended to be phased out, if recommendations from the committee are approved by the City Council. The committee's recommendations also contain a series of "Catch 22's" that would make it virtually impossible for the owner of an intact dog to maintain an exemption for competition, field trials and shows, even if the registry itself maintains its exemption, documents show.

The unfolding situation in Los Angeles gives dramatic and clear proof that the ultimate goal of all animal rights-inspired legislation is a step toward the elimination of animal ownership in America. Each law, ordinance and regulation is merely the first step toward a tightening of the noose in this incremental approach to making America a nation without dogs, cats and other domesticated animals. Each step is designed to lead to another, until no more animals are left.

For dog owners, it means that any compromise with animal rights activists is illogical, unwise and totally illusory. Dog owners who agree to negotiate, participate on task forces or committees that are stacked against them, compromise, cut deals, remain apathetic, or fail to fight hard for their rights in the political arena, are slitting their own throats. The only alternative is to fight back courageously against all animal rights legislation, and refuse to quit, surrender or compromise.

That lesson applies equally to all Americans who own dogs or cats, and has immediate meaning to Illinois, which has set up a task force to study new dog laws, and Maine and Santa Barbara, CA, which are now in the process of having the results rammed down their throats by task forces that were designed to have strong animal rights biases.

The Los Angeles Committee also provides a clear lesson to dog owners about how task forces and committees can be taken over by nonresident animal rights extremists, who now are incorporating these committees into their nationwide strategy. The American Sporting Dog Alliance first uncovered this strategy in the City of Dallas, TX, which passed a repressive spay/neuter mandate last year based on the recommendations of a committee with official status that pointedly excluded anyone who was not an animal rights activist.

The Los Angeles Committee includes at least one person who does not live in the city: noted animal rights extremist Judie Mancuso of Laguna Beach, CA. Mancuso was a major force behind last year's failed effort to enact statewide mandatory spay/neuter legislation, and is leading efforts for legislation this year.

Mancuso also works on mandatory sterilization issues nationwide, and recently testified in Chicago, where she claimed that these ordinances do not affect the availability of purebred dogs. The Los Angeles proposals contradict and discredit Mancuso's statements in Chicago and elsewhere, and show clearly that her real goal is to eliminate purebred dogs.

Here are the Los Angeles Spay/Neuter Committee report's highlights pertaining to owning intact purebred dogs.

Almost all of America's dog and cat registries would be removed from the list of approved registries, because they do not have official policies to protect the health and soundness of dogs eligible for registration and used in breeding programs, as would be required by the new recommendations. We see this requirement as a "Catch 22" that is impossible to fulfill, because the science of canine genetics is in its infancy and does not allow many conditions to be predicted accurately (and thus prevented), and the Los Angeles ordinance is essentially requiring registries to be liable (including financially liable) for the results of matings over which they have no real control. Private breeders of high quality dogs also would object to a distant registry taking control of their breeding decisions, if for no other reason than the fact that registry officials would have no first-hand knowledge of the dogs involved, their progeny or their ancestors.

Dogs registered by the American Kennel Club (AKC), which is the nation's largest registry, could not be kept sexually intact or bred in Los Angeles if these
recommendations are adopted. This also would apply to dogs registered through
the American Dog Breeders Association (American pit bull terriers), the Continental Kennel Club, the American Rare Breed Association, the Australian Shepherd Club of America and the Dog Registry of America, and possibly cats registered by the three major feline registries.

The status of UKC-registered dogs could not be determined from the report. The UKC already has an extensive list of breeding policies, but they are essentially recommendations to breeders and most are not mandatory. Nor is it known if the UKC would be willing to assume liability for the actions of breeders.

Field Dog Stud Book, which is America's oldest registry and the premiere registry for pointers and setters bred for hunting and field trials, is not included in the current list of approved registries and also could not possibly meet the requirements of the committee report. It is currently illegal to own a sexually intact FDSB-registered dog, or breed it, in the City of Los Angeles.

To obtain a breeding permit, the report recommends requiring that a dog must be temperament tested, have Orthopedic Foundation of America certification for hip dysplasia, meet other unspecified "health requirements," and have earned or be earning a title in competition through an approved registry (of which there would be
none). We regard all of these as cynical "Catch 22s."

Temperament testing would be done by the animal control agency, which lacks the expertise to evaluate dogs of most breeds and could not do a fair evaluation in the chaotic environment of an animal control facility. Thus, many good dogs would be set up to fail.

OFA hip certification cannot be obtained until a dog is two years old and the Los Angeles ordinance requires dogs to be spayed at age four months(long before they would be bred, entered in serious competition or could be certified by OFA), and animal control personnel do not have the knowledge or experience to evaluate genetic health problems or the ways to reduce or eliminate them.

The report also recommends that all dogs be entered into a show or competition at least annually to qualify for an exemption (the current requirement is one show every two years). However, this fails to account for the reality that many dogs are kept for evaluation for a year or two before they are entered in competition or sent to a professional trainer, an injury or illness can hold a dog out of competition for lengthy periods, and many outstanding champions are retired from competition early to use for breeding in order to pass on their outstanding genetics to future generations. These dogs would have to be sterilized, under the recommendation.

The current ordinance exempts a dog that is being trained for competition, or as a guide, service or military dog. However, the committee report recommends eliminating this exemption if the dog's trainer is not an officially licensed business in the City of Los Angeles,as well as stating that dog trainers should meet certain unspecified "qualifications" to be licensed.

The dog world is not local. Many serious breeders are themselves highly competent and qualified trainers, and many send their dogs to trainers who are located in other parts of the state or nation. These trainers could not qualify for a Los Angeles business license for the simple reason that they do not live in the city (and possibly not even in the state), and the breeders could not qualify for a business license because they are hobbyists who are not in the business of training dogs for the public.

Moreover, no one in the animal control department is even remotely qualified to pass judgment on the ability or qualifications of a professional trainer. It is doubtful if any professional trainers of field trial or hunting dogs live within the city, as there would not be enough suitable grounds nearby, and regulations and taxation would be prohibitive in an urban environment.

Requirements to maintain a sexually intact dog also would be tightened generally, including mandating spay/neuter for a second offense of leash laws or a second impoundment by animal control, shortening time limits for compliance, denying permits to dog owners to whom even one warning had been issued, and raising prices of intact and breeding permits (current permits cost $100 per animal per year, and allow the holder only one litter per year per each female animal for which a permit has been obtained).

The Los Angeles Committee report to City Council is contained in a 91-page (pdf file) report that can be viewed at
http://www.laanimalservices.com/spayneuterlaw/committee/march09_rep.pdf.

See pdf pages 68-through-74. Look for Recommendation Twelve.

This report was located and researched by ASDA advisor and researcher Margo Milde of Glenview, IL.
The current ordinance can be viewed at
http://www.clkrep.lacity.org/onlinedocs/2007/07-1212_ord_179615.pdf
.
The American Sporting Dog Alliance urges all Los Angeles dog owners to oppose this report to City Council. We also ask dog owners everywhere in America to learn from what is happening in Los Angeles and spurn the idea of task forces, negotiations with animal rights activists, or agreeing to compromises. Failing to fight back courageously is the first step in participating in the destruction of the dogs that you love, and your own freedom and basic rights as an American.

We also challenge the purebred dog and cat registries themselves, but especially the American Kennel Club (AKC), the largest purebred dog registry in the United States, to vigorously oppose the Los Angeles committee's recommendations. We also urge these registries to make adverse legislation involving any facet of dog and cat ownership and breeding their utmost priority. We especially ask the AKC to clearly communicate to its affiliated and member clubs the dangers of seeking purebred or show exemptions in any proposed legislation involving dog ownership or breeding, since, as these Los Angeles committee's recommendations illustrate, such legal exemptions are only a sham, to be all too easily removed by the Animal Rights zealots who seek the extinction of all purebred breeds of dogs.

The American Sporting Dog Alliance represents owners, breeders and professionals who work with breeds of dogs that are used for hunting. We also welcome people who work with other breeds, as legislative issues affect all of us. We are a grassroots movement working to protect the rights of dog owners, and to assure that the traditional relationships between dogs and humans maintains its rightful place in American society and life. The American Sporting Dog Alliance also needs your help so that we can continue to work to protect the rights of dog owners. Your membership, participation and support are truly essential to the success of our mission. We are funded solely by your donations in order to maintain strict independence.

Please visit us on the web at http://www.americansportingdogalliance.org/

Our email is asda@csonline.net .
PLEASE CROSS-POST AND FORWARD THIS REPORT TO YOUR FRIENDS

Albuquerque NM 3 years later

I have been graciously given permission to share with everyone the following update on just what is going on in Albuquerque, New Mexico 5 years after the H$U$ sponsored HEART law went into effect. Here goes:

In the May 23, 2009 Abq Journal, Around NM D2: Albuquerque Gets PETA Award.

The 3 paragraphs state that Abq earned a Compassionate City Award from PETA for
working to save a colony of prairie dogs. PETA will present Mayor M. Chavez with
a certificate and letter of appreciation for his intervention in a dispute between the non-profit Prairie Dog Pals and Calvary Christian Academy, that wanted to level the colony to build a playground.

What is not mentioned in this blurb is that the nonprofit wanted the school to pay it $5000 to move the rodents. The school could not come up with the $$$. There was so much media hype the school was, apparently, afraid to kill the prairie dogs and in Abq., prairie dog compassion aint free!

And, last week, the 1st 2 cases of PLAGUE were reported in NM, with an 8 year old dying and his sister hospitalized. And what is the main carrier of plague fleas in NM......sweet prairie dogs. So, now the children of Calvary Christian Academy must play in their new playground feet away from flea carrying prairie dogs. Yes, for sure.....we are a compassionate city.

In addition to our concern for prairie dogs, we have our HEART ordinance, passed how many years ago....2 or 3? When I started paying attention to the Abq shelter impound #s, they were around 300-350 animals a week. As a matter a fact, 400 animals a week was used as justification for the ordinance. What a tragedy, 400 animals a week being impounded. The HEART ordinance would surely reduce such horrific impound numbers.

Well, the sad day came during the week of May 14-20: 600 animals impounded. Sadder still, May 21-27: 627. That comes after the smashing success of the great adoption event, Fetchapalooza, where shelters from around the state converged on Abq. with truck loads of their adoptable animals, for some reason not being promoted in their own communities as perfect pets. 630 animals found "forever" homes during the 2 day event, or did they. Because, even sadder, shocking actually, May 28-June 3: 682 impounds from our Compassionate City!

Remember, Abq is a mandatory spay-neuter, pet limit, micro-chip-micro-manage everybody's lives who own animals city. We have HEART here.

On an up beat, I received a funds request from Animal Humane NM [Help us home senior pets], a private shelter that reported a $3,000,000 budget awhile back, and it mentioned that 55% of the 5,200 pets that they served last year were owner surrenders. I was told at a local meeting by a person who does rescue on occasion, that one must pay to surrender an animal to them.

True or not, if one does the math, this shelter spends $577 per animal. Would that suggest that if somebody adopts from a local shelter, they could expect $577 in expenses associated with their rescue?

Does all this make sense to you?
Gail

One of the things Gail doesn't mention is that a part of the fall out has been the loss of all dog trainers who actually know how to train a dog and get good results. Does this make sense to any of you?

I know all it does is prove that every single one of the dire prediction's simply wasn't dire enough. How much longer before Albuquerque earns the first PETA Award as a city totally free of ALL domestic animals? Is this really what you want? If it isn't then STOP giving any money or any other sort of support to Animal Radicals and the Animal Rights Industry. Time is rapidly running out for all of us if the money and support isn't cut off and cut off yesterday.

Oregonians In Action for all of us

Yes, yes, I know. I promised the second part of the "Millie/Lass" story, but this is more important and actually is a part of the "Millie/Lass" story in a sense. Please note that permission has been granted to cross post the article. Never, ever make the mistake of thinking this has nothing to do with you and your dogs or cats, because it really does.

Permission to cross post this.

It is very interesting. Cheryl also explained to me that these AR groups are now also sending "puppy buyers" into these areas where laws are passed. You think it's a good home for the puppy and when they get there they demand your puppies. If you don't turn them over, they report you and let the authorities come in and take the puppies and your dogs and fine you!

This is insanity!

I'm mounting a campaign here in Oregon to file a class action lawsuit against the State for these laws as they take away both our Fourth and Fifth Amendments Rights. I found a non-profit group, Oregonians In Action, who fight for individual owners' rights, particularly in land use.

I'm also getting one together in our county (Columbia) because of all the new
changes plus their Land Use head, Todd Dugdale, told me I have to get down below
10 dogs by Jan 1, file for a $960 Type II Home Occupation permit, and pay $30
per dog per year in order to be able to keep over 3 dogs now. And I live in
unincorporated county.

I asked what if I had more than 3 dogs, he said they could all be confiscated, and if I did the rest (Type II etc) anything over 9 needs to be put to sleep. Plus I would be fined $500 per day plus have to pay for all the confiscated dogs' care at unreasonable fees if this happened. And my kennel wouldn't pass their new rules anyway as it now requires 5 acres minimum with a heated & airconditioned building at least 100 feet from my house and would have to have a separate kitchen/bathing facility in it, with concrete floors with a center drain with a separate septic system.

This is for over 9 dogs and for a commercial kennel. There is no place for private breeders under these draconian laws. Mind you, I've been continually and duly licensed and inspected as a hobby kennel here at my current address for 20 years now. But there is no grandfathering allowed now.

They have eliminated the hobby license and only allow commercial kennels, yet HB 2470 virtually eliminates those. Worse yet, Rep. Brad Witt has solely authored the latest travesty, HB 2986, which outlaws all line and inbreeding, subjecting breeders to MORE unwarranted search and seizure permissions, along with recordkeeping requirements that make the AKC look like grade school.

It hefts huge fines if not in compliance, and can end up with confiscation of dogs and jail time. Fun, huh? Also note that it is already on the books that if you refuse to allow any unwarranted search by an animal control officer, you can be arrested/jailed for up to 7 days for that --plus have all animals removed and immediately sold.

Hey, when did we move to Nazi Germany? So....if anyone is interested in joining our group -- first we will petition, then we will sue if no response -- I'm mounting a class action campaign against the violation and removal of our Rights. It also includes
people with small hobby businesses as there is no county business license. You
now can't do garage sales more than once per annual quarter, and you can't sell
your chicken eggs or anything else out of your house, even with commercial
zoning. Contact me if you want to join up. Staying under the radar isn't working
anymore. We need to be activists to protect our interests.

The Governor's phone number and email address, btw, is 503-378-4582, fax is 503-378-3827 and you have to go to the website to send an email. That's at http://governor.oregon.gov/Gov/contact_us.shtml

The more he hears from people who oppose it, the less likely he is to sign it. We need him to be inundated with no's.

Cheryl Anderson
Cherden since
1966
AKC Judge #4183

Snagged by the hand of fate

For almost a month now I have been chewing on if or maybe how I was going to write this entry. Finally things are starting to come into a better focus and I realize I have no choice. I simply MUST write it all down or go even more bonkers than I already am.

It's all mixed up in my mind, the animal radicals toiling away in the animal rights industry, the fallen economy that continues to force people out of their homes and in turn causes them to give up their dogs. The people who, unable to earn a living in their first chosen field are now deciding that since they "just love" dogs they will call themselves dog trainers. On top of that stew is poured a sauce of unreal expectations about animals in general.

As we move into now the third generation to have no connection with the land the lack of knowledge becomes not just a sad thing, but a terrifying danger to us all. Without our domestic animals to keep us human what are we to become? Soulless automatons who kill without a shred of remorse, take whatever we want with no thought to the outcome?

First comes a little Yorkie, a 7 year old, 8 pound mite who is about to end up in "the system". Her only fault as far as I can tell is she ended up in the wrong hands. Well not entirely in the wrong hands since as a year old pup she was brought here for a 4 week board and train program. And finally she ended up here again.

Little "Milly", no that is not her real name. Anyway, Milly was produced by a large volume breeding facility, sold to a large resale "kennel", registered with an organization that supplies "papers" that are of questionable value for a price.True, I do know who two of the three are and am choosing not to name them. I just don't feel the names add a single thing to what I have to say next.

Milly was purchased for a young teenage girl. Her parents knew less than nothing about the proper way to treat or train or care for a dog. They were young, up and coming professionals riding the housing boom to the hilt. With all the sudden influx of easy money when something was needed you just go out and buy it. Bingo! Instant pleasure with little to no effort.

Milly came here when she was about a year of age. The owners had been referred to me by another trainer who didn't want to be bothered by all their questions. I guess the fact they asked me no questions and didn't bother to come back for all the lessons they had paid for stemmed from...well who knows what it stemmed from. Meanwhile, Milly all 4 pounds of her at the time, wormed her way in to this household without so much as a quiver or hitch.

Wrap was very much the queen in those days and for whatever reason seemed to feel that Milly had come along just to be her private toy. For the entire time Milly was here the two of them were always together. Milly learned every single thing she was taught. She learned quickly and was able to string commands together to learn new behaviors at a blazing speed.

So what the devil happened? How did such a promising jewel of a pup end up on the hard end of life? The parents that bought her for their daughter are children of a generation that truly lacked for nothing. Nothing other than the touch of hard times necessary to build an adult of strength and character. They never set foot on a farm. Have no idea what it takes to raise the cattle that make the hamburger on the grill nor do they have a clue about what it takes to care for the cows that put the milk in the carton, the butter for their bread. I strongly suspect they would run in fear from the chickens that produce the eggs for their breakfast.

Lacking that sort of very basic knowledge is it any wonder they have not a clue as to how to care for, much less train a dog? And lacking that sort of basic knowledge is it any wonder why they are ripe for the plucking when the Animal Radicals come knocking at their door with pictures of horrid things, many of the pictures having been manufactured by the Animal Rights Industry itself? But I digress and must get back to Milly and then move on to Lass for this is going to be so long a blog I'm going to have to do it in parts.

Back to Milly again.
She was very unceremoniously handed over the fence to me. Her "stuff" followed. "We don't need her any more", was what I was told. "Our house sold faster than we had expected and she can't go with us."

"Where is her paperwork?" I asked.

"What's that?" is the response I got.

"At the very least I need her vet records and a registration slip would be most helpful" I responded.

"I don't know. If I have time later I'll try and look for it", is what I was told.

"Don't bother to look, just call your vet and asked them to fax me a copy. One phone call won't take that long and then you won't have to look", was my response.

And just like that Milly was here to stay or go or whatever. Another bothersome piece of excess baggage to be gotten rid of as the good days turn darker and darker. After a week went by I called them. The first number I had was no longer in service. The second number just took me to an answering machine, so I left what was to become a series of messages. All I was asking for was that they call the vet and have her records forwarded to me. After three weeks and 6 tries I still had a big fat zero.

What was she like, this older and sadder Milly? She was dirty and she smelled. Her coat was matted and her tail was stuck to one back leg with dried feces. Her nails were curling under, her ears were dirty, her face was caked with eye goop that had never been cleaned away. She was scared, defensive, barked pretty much non-stop and just shook pretty much all the time. UCK!! Who would even want to try with a 7 year old dog in that condition?

After three weeks of trying to get some response from the now former owner I gave up. Checked back through my records and found her original file. Great! Now I at least had a place to start and thinking hopeful thoughts googled the Vet listed. Found the number and gave them a call. Explained who I was and why I was calling and was handed over to the office manager. Lovely person that she is, she was first very glad to learn that Milly had landed in a safe place. It seems that on top of the problems I listed Milly had a "history". Milly, all 7 pounds of her was labeled as an aggressive dog. That's right, Milly was considered to be dog aggressive and could only go to a home that had no other dogs. Milly was considered to be human aggressive and needed to go to an experienced home.

Milly is NOT dog aggressive. Milly is NOT people aggressive. Milly is just another dog unfortunate enough to fall into the hands of fools. By the end of Milly's first week here she had been cleaned up, her nasty coat was gone and she was sporting a cute little Schnauzer clip. Her nails were short and didn't hurt anymore. She still needed a bark collar to help her remember the rule of silence unless it's important. She was starting to spend more and more time in the yard with ALL THE OTHER DOGS.

So I could honestly tell the Office Manager that Milly was most definitely NOT dog or people aggressive. Personally I think she was just desperate for some calm in all the chaos her life had handed her. The Office Manager agreed and she she had been really worried about what was to happen with Milly, since "they had lost their home". So is seems Milly was a victim yet again. This time the bursting of the housing bubble got her.

Now she is here and I have her medical records. Records, I might add, that have given me much pause for thought. Thoughts such as: why was it necessary to take her to the Vet for "observation" as often as twice a month? Why did they refuse to at least learn how to care for her? I know those and the many other questions I have will never be answered and they are the questions that really, really do bother me.

Looks like Milly will be staying since this past Friday she showed me she was willing and able to earn her keep. Earning her keep leads to the second dog, Lass.

http://blog.beefmagazine.com/beef_daily/2009/05/20/hsus-launches-attacks-to-remove-eliminate-wbs-tv-video/

The above link will take you to a column written by Amanda Nolz for the Beef Daily Blog. What she has to say and what those who wrote comments have to say is well worth the read.

The WBSTV video in question is presently available for view by going to:

http://www.vidoosh.tv/play.php?vid=4360

The truly sad part about all this is that servers in the US have been forced to pull the video in question and just about all the transcripts have vanished as well. The only place to now learn for yourself just exactly why the show in question is kicking up such an uproar is to view it on a server based in IRAN. IRAN, for gosh sake’s!!!!! What the devil is that all about?

Have we become so weak-willed a citizenship that we can’t even be allowed to view the “opposition” to the web of half truths, twisted truths and outright lies that continue to be told by HSUS. Make no mistake, the Humane Society of the United States (HSUS) is neither humane or a true society, however it does reside in the US. The leaders, i.e. those who receive a salary, are not interested in the welfare of any human/animal bond. They are very much interested in power and only slightly less interested in the wealth that comes hand-in-hand with said power.

I leave you with the following quotes and hope you will at the very least stop all support you may be currently giving them. Better yet, how about actively seeking 50 more people and convincing them to at the very least stop donating money to any of the HSUS names.

“Animals for the most part just need to be left alone.” Wayne Pacelle, Los Angeles Times, July 19, 2008.

“We have no ethical obligation to preserve the different breeds of livestock produced through selective breeding. One generation and out. We have no problem with the extinction of domestic animals. They are creations of human selective breeding.” Wayne Pacelle, Senior VP of Humane Society of the US, formerly of Friends of Animals and Fund for Animals, Animal People, May, 1993.

HSUS names? That’s right, HSUS is like Medusa of Greek legend. Cut off one arm and watch it re-growth as two arms. Some of the HSUS names are:

Nonprofit affiliates:
* Alice Morgan Wright-Edith Goode Fund (DC);
* Alternative Congress Trust (DC);
* Animal Channel (DC);
* Association Humanataria De Costa Rica;
* Center for the Respect of Life and Environment (DC);
* Charlotte and William Parks Foundation for Animal Welfare (DC);
* Conservation Endowment Fund (see ICEC) (CA);
* Earth Restoration Corps. (DC);
* Earthkind Inc. (DC);
* Earthkind International Inc. (DC);
* Earthkind USA (DC);
* Earthkind USA (MT);
* Earthkind UK [ also affiliated with the International Fund for Animal Welfare];
* Earthvoice (DC);
* Earthvoice International (DC);
* Eating with a Conscience Campaign (DC);
* HSUS Hollywood Office (formerly The Ark Trust Inc.) (CA);
* Humane Society International (DC), which also operates
* The International Center for Earth

Concerns (ICEC) in Ojai, California,
* the Center for Earth Concerns in Costa Rica, and
* the Conservation Endowment Fund in California;

* Humane Society International Australian Office Inc.;
* Humane Society International of Latin America;
* Humane Society of the United States (DE);
* Humane Society of the United States (MD);
* Humane Society of the United States (MT);
* Humane Society of the United States (PA);
* Humane Society of the United States (VT);
* Humane Society of the United States California Branch Inc. (CA);
* Humane Society of the United States New Jersey Branch Inc. (NJ);
* Humane Society of the United States Wildlife Land Trust (DC);
* Humane Society of the United States Wildlife Land Trust (KS);
* Humane Society of the United States Wildlife Land Trust (OK);
* Humane Society of the United States Utah State Branch (UT);
* Humane Society University (DC);
* Institute for the Study of Animal Problems (DC);
* Interfaith Council for the Protection of Animals and Nature (GA);
* International Society for the Protection of Animals (UK);
* International Wilderness Leadership Wild
Foundation Inc. [d/b/a The WILD Foundation] (CA);
* Kindness Club International Inc. (DC);
* Meadowcreek Project Inc. (AR);
* Meadowcreek Inc. (AR);
* National Association for Humane and Environmental Education (DC);
* National Humane Education Center (VA);
* Species Survival Network (MI);
* Valerie Sheppard Humane Society University (DC);
* Wildlife Rehabilitation Training Center (MA);
* World Federation for the Protection of Animals Inc. (DC);
* World Society for the Protection of Animals (DC);
* World Society for the Protection of Animals (IA);
* World Society for the Protection of Animals (ND);
* World Society for the Protection of Animals (VT);
* World Society for the Protection of Animals - Canada;
* World Society for the Protection of Animals - Deutschland;
* World Society for the Protection of Animals International (UK);
* World Society for the Protection of Animals UK (UK); and
* Worldwide Network Inc. (DC).

For-profit affiliates:
* The Humane Catalog (VA);
* Humane Equity Fund [defunct] (DC);
* Humane Society Press (DC);
* Humane Society of the United States Connecticut Branch Inc. (CT);
* Humane Society of the United States Virginia Branch Inc. (VA);
* World Society for the Protection of Animals (MA);
* World Society for the Protection of Animals - Australia;
* World Society for the Protection of Animals Executor Services (UK);
* World Society for the Protection of Animals Trading Company (UK).

Just remember, friends don’t let friends donate money or time to HSUS, PETA or any other animal right/animal welfare/animal protection society. If you want to donate time, money or goods to a group working to help animals then keep it all within in your community. Most, not all, but most rescue groups and animal shelters are truly out there attempting to help. Just make sure you double check, because not all are as they seem on the surface and the above list attests. I’ll stop with this last thought, HSUS/PETA and their minions are not about the welfare of dogs, cats, horses or other livestock. They are all about eliminating all human contact with all animals for any reason.

Will Colorado law become "The Law"?

We must NOT allow this to continue to happen. If this is truly the case, however Cynthia Eliason of New Hampshire just shared with me a follow-up post on the topic. Please read through to the very end before making any decisions on the who, what, where and why when it comes to support.

PERMISSION TO CROSSPOST!

Subject: This is why there can be no compromise, posted to the IRWS list

4a. Licensing facts---long
Posted by: "AvalonKennels@ aol.com" AvalonKennels@ aol.com
Date: Mon Mar 30, 2009 8:39 pm ((PDT))

I normally never post on this list but since I have actual experience,
I am going to in this case. Colorado was the first and only state to
pass mandatory licensing for breeders. This came about when we were
informed about a bill that was going to the legislature the following
day. No advance notice, but in those days we weren't as alert as we
are now. We all gathered at the state capitol, dog breeders, cat
breeders, small animal breeders, 4-H Leaders and their troops, any
person who had an animal and was interested in protecting their rights
to own that animal.

The bill requiring mandatory 10 year moratorium on ALL breeding was
defeated. A meeting was held and we decided, to our everlasting
regret, that we needed to write a bill we could live with. We spent a
year writing the Pet Animal Care and Facility Act. A task force
representing 13 different animal groups, was formed. Dog breeders,
both large scale and small, cat breeders, small animal breeders, bird
breeders, animal welfare officers, veterinarians, Retail stores,
wholesale suppliers, general public, etc. We met for an entire year,
and presented a bill into legislature calling for licensing and
inspections of all these groups.

It passed into law easily as the entire industry was supporting it. A
Pet Animal Advisory Committee was then formed, with the same
representative groups, charged with writing the rules and regulations
to go with the law. I represented the dog breeders of the state of
Colorado for 4 years.

Originally, the licensing fee for dog breeders was $175, now it is
$350. The original number required to be licensed was 25, then 15, and
now it is supposed to go to 12. This is any dog over the age of 4
months. I have been told the age may also go down to 3 months. No
legislative voting, no nothing was required to change portions of the
requirements.

Originally, if you worked a normal 9-5 job, you could put on the
application that the inspector could come by appointment. This year,
if you refuse to take off work, to allow them access at any time, you
are in violation, will have hefty fines and could even have your
license revoked.

The inspector recently demanded in person and later in writing from a
SHOW breeder, all her AKC records. When she refused, they have
threatened to take her license away. This is still being argued, so
will see how it plays out. The law only says you have to make all
records available to the inspector to see. Now, they are demanding to
take your records with them.

Also, at any inspection, they will not give you the inspection report
unless you demand it. It is mailed to you later with any petty
violations they find. You have no recourse or ability to argue the
unfairness of any violation.

The last inspection I had the inspector said everything was great.
But, I got a report in the mail later that I was in violation because
I had an opened sack of dog food on the property. And, because I had
an orphan litter of puppies. When I complained loud and clear, I was
told the litter should have been taken to the vet's, as they had the
knowledge and experience necessary to deal with the puppies OR I
SHOULD HAVE EUTHANIZED THE PUPPIES. I filed a formal complaint with
the Dept. of Agriculture and had a hearing. The open sack of dog food
was dismissed but the other was not. My vet wrote a letter and came to
the hearing and testified as to my ability to raise an orphan litter,
no avail. The inspectors still ruled the vet was better able to care
for them.

The inspectors have the right to enter ANY part of your house, garage,
kennel, yard, etc. where you might maintain, raise, etc. any dog. This
means your bedroom or bathroom if that is where you have any dogs.
Quesiton: how many of you have a dog sleeping by your bed???? How many
have puppies born in the bedroom?

All of the bills being introduced in various states are patterned
after the Colorado bill. During the bill writing process we had great
guys in the Dept.of Agriculture. Now........one has died, one retired,
and the other got promoted out of the dog program. The state vet, the
head of PACFA, the inspectors promote and encourage the Animal Rights
propaganda. One inspector has even gone so far as to say she would
like to see all breeders stopped.

The hen house is being protected by the fox. Do you want your state to
be in the same position?? Get involved now, don't give in to any of
their suggestions. DON'T ever think you can bargain with them. That is
like bargaining with the Devil. We don't know if it is too late for
Colorado, breeders have rallied and are fighting for their lives and
their rights to own, breed, and show dogs.

Jean Nelson
Avalon Kennels est 1964
Breeder/owner of over 216 champions

Rebuttal:

Sorry this has taken a while to write, but I'm still trying to figure out why the comments/statements were made in the first place. This post from Jean is not only full of inaccurate statements, it is a fabrication of events that still has me sitting here in absolute shock. I was involved in the writing of the Colorado Pet Animal Facilities Act ( PACFA ) as was Jean Nelson and several others in Colorado, but very little of what was stated in her e-mail is accurate. I would very much prefer to not have to dispute it, but her e-mail is making the rounds of the dog community and needs to be corrected. I can't speak to her personal conversations with inspectors, since I wasn't there, but the rest of what she relates has little or no basis in fact. I don't know why she wrote this, but I have the documentation from that period of time to back up what I say. Jean was involved in the PACFA development as a representative of the small commercial breeders group (she was a commercial breeder), not the hobby breeders since the hobby breeders are not licensed under PACFA .

* Colorado was NOT the first state to license breeders in the 90's.
We did have a more innovative approach to licensing than those that came before us. We licensed the 'facilities' rather than an individual. We also made the law workable for breeders who may breed small numbers of pets in their homes.

* There was NO bill that would have required a mandatory 10 year moratorium on breeding introduced with no notice. Never happened!

* The dog community was NOT responsible for the beginning of the process which became the PACFA law. It was initiated by the state health department deciding in 1991 they were no long going to oversee inspections of pet stores, kennels and bird banding. They turned it over to the state agriculture department who decided that maybe the law would be better if expanded to license 'facilities' who handled or bred pet animals. They invited ALL of the industries that might be affected to participate in the process to make the laws fair and effective. The dog community had several representatives present at those first meetings. The law was developed to insure proper care of pet animals and consistent standards. The development of the bill took from 1991 to 1993, with the bill being passed into law in 1994.

* Jean Nelson was on the advisory committee representing the small commercial breeders (transferring 25 to 99 dogs per year) AS a commercial breeder. The dog show community had no official representative on this committee since hobby breeders (transferring 24 or less dogs in a year) were exempt from the law. I sat in on all the meetings to keep the dog community informed of what was happening and to make sure what was written didn't negatively affect them, as did several other people over the almost 3 years of development of the law and regulations.

* The yearly licensing fee for a small commercial breeder is NOT $350, nor has it ever been. It is $250 currently, down from $280 in 2007 I
believe. The fee for a licensed rescue is $80. $350 is the law's
cap which no fee (for any licensed facility) can go beyond without changes to the statute, which no one needs or wants at this time. The program is 'self funding' and the agriculture department has done a good job of keeping costs down.

*The 25/15/12 dogs figure she talks about is NOT for breeder
licensing, since that license is not based on numbers of dogs owned.
There is a portion of the state law that if you have more than 15 dogs at one location, you need to be licensed under PACFA in any of the appropriate categories to address issues of hoarding and insure proper care of the dogs...rescue, breeder, boarding... Not sure I agree with this portion of the law, but it is what it is. There is NO movement to lower that limit to 12, nor is there any discussion of lowering age definitions from 4 months to 3 months.

* Her e-mail states that there is "...no legislative voting, no nothing was required to change portions of the requirements..." That is NOT true. Anything in the statute takes legislative action to change. LOTS of chance for input there, as we have proven with the HSUS bill this year to change PACFA ! We won- they lost. Changes to regulations require public hearings as well as publication of the proposed changes and public input under state laws. Since I track changes to the PACFA regulations I can tell you they do follow this process and don't just change them under the table as inferred by that post.

* Inspections are done on a random basis -unannounced, as is standard in many licensed regulations such as restaurants, shelters, ... If you aren't there when they come during your regular business hours (which you give them on the yearly renewal) then they will call to set an appointment. Most inspections are done on a 1 to 3 year cycle, unless you have failed a prior inspection or have a complaint. Then they will inspect you more frequently. They will work with you and your schedule within reason. If you tell them your business hours are on Friday from 4:00 to 4:15 then you might have a problem! They do not demand inspections outside of normal business hours. ( I know inspectors have volunteered to do an inspection on Saturday for people that work full time and have a home facility) They cannot require "...access at any time..." NOT in the law or regulations, and not allowed by the agriculture department. It was suggested in January of this year by another state department which oversee licensing agencies, but was immediately turned down by the PACFA program and agriculture department. Don't need it nor did they want it. I was at that hearing and would be glad to provide a transcript.

* She talks about no "...recourse or ability to argue the fairness of any violation", yet she then talks about having a hearing on the violations with the department of agriculture. Which is it? She also says they have a right to enter any part of a facility where you maintain dogs if licensed that way. If you have listed those areas as
part of your facility, then yes they do have a right to inspect them.
That makes sense doesn't it? If you don't list your house or bedroom as a part of the facility, and you don't have animals in those areas that fall under your license, then they can't go there without your permission. You DO have a right to refuse them entry even during business hours, but as with any licensing for any business you run the risk of losing your license if you don't have a good reason.

The Colorado PACFA law has been in effect for over 14 years. During that time it has been given high praise as a law written by those who are regulated under it, and as a fair law. Other states have used it as an example for their own laws. If Jean is trying to say that the HSUS and animal rights laws are being proposed this year based on PACFA , then she has no clue of what she is talking about. It is an unfair and inaccurate statement.

After closing her commercial breeding kennel, Jean ran a rescue facility for several years in Colorado before moving to Texas. I don't know why these e-mails have been written by her condemning the PACFA program and Colorado, but she seems to have a grip with them that is not being stated.

When HSUS came into Colorado this year to try to pass their standard version of a "puppy mill bill," the PACFA law actually helped us to fight against it. Because we had a good licensing and inspection law already in place, we could argue that no new laws were needed or wanted. We didn't need any changes to it or 'improvements' from HSUS . The problems that allowed HSUS to even get the bill introduced this year originated from the PACFA inspectors being too LAX in enforcement over the past year! The law was and is good, the enforcement needs improvement and strengthening. Not quite the picture that was painted in the e-mail.

* Jean stated that the everyone in the agriculture department
"...encourages animal rights propaganda...". Huh? Is that why they
helped us fight the HSUS bill this year, and the one last year, and the year before that? These are horse and cattle people in this department. They don't like animal rights or animal right nuts any
more than we do, and have proven it over the years. Why are we
trying to make enemies out of people who are on our side in this fight? I don't know if Jean had a bad experience with the PACFA program while she was licensed as a commercial breeder or rescue, but Colorado is in good shape for the dog community. We are not fighting for our lives or rights here with anyone right now. We won the battle on the 'puppy mill bill' and number limits in February, and are close to winning another one against HSUS on current legislation- with support from the very people you say are against us! There is no 'devil' to bargain with in Colorado and working WITH government officials for a common goal of fair laws and enforcement is much smarter than making enemies of them for no valid reason. Her comments
make no sense but seem to be meant to stir up problems and mistrust.
I'm posting this to correct the inaccurate information being spread by this e-mail only. Don't have any grudges against Jean, really don't care about her, but am concerned by this second post on this subject in the last few months and felt it needed a response. I hope Jean has a happier life in Texas since she seems to have been unhappy here.

Permission to cross post is given and encouraged. Anyone wanted to contact me privately on this is welcome to do so. Sorry about the length.

Linda Hart
kharahs @comcast.net
Colorado

From reading both emails, it is once again shown that we must all be careful to do the necessary background research before taking a statement at face value.

A Tale of Two Dogs or A Tale of Two Owners

I've been thinking about two incidents that just happened and wonder if I will ever be able to understand. Somehow my suspicion is that if I can just even manage to find a tiny clink in the mud that holds the wall up, than maybe I'll actually understand a way to tear that wall down and stomp the individual stones into sand.

First Dog

This dog is a German Shepherd Dog(GSD) that is about 7 or so years of age. She has been raised on a farm. She has received no real training, either obedience, manners or farm skills. For the most part she is allowed to do pretty much as she pleases. Ask her owner to tell you about this dog and you will hear all about how wonderful she is. She runs, plays, chases, and has ever so much fun just playing with the other dogs. One of the other dogs lives with her and the rest come and go with their owners.

If you were to push her owner, you might learn that sometimes she gets a little over excited. When that happens she can be just a little rough with the other dogs. But she is a good dog since she doesn't run away from home, eats her meals, refrains from soiling in the house. There is just one small problem.

She is a dog killer. Of course, you will be told, it was all an accident. She was just over excited and being really playful. Too bad the little dog she killed didn't agree.

Second Dog

This dog is as Doberman. She will soon turn 4 years of age. She was raised in a rather unique dog day care and training environment. She has been in training learning new skills, polishing previously learned skills, finding new ways to apply the skills she has. Her obedience, manners and and work skills are at a good level for a dog of her age and breed. She has many responsibilities around the yard and in the house. She has even more responsibilities when she travels away from home with her owner. Not running away from home, eating her meals and refraining from soiling in the house are considered to be just ordinary, everyday things that aren't even worth commenting on or thinking about.

Some of the dogs that come to her yard are her friends. Some of the dogs that come to her yard are of little to no interest to her at all. A few of the dogs that come to her yard are dogs she can just barely tolerate. No matter what category these dogs fall in, she is mannerly and polite. This politeness is not something that came easily to her. It is a skill she must work hard to maintain and work she does.

This day, just three days before her fourth birthday she took another huge step forward in her areas of responsibility. This is what happened.

Two small crate pads had to be washed and dried and put back in the crates they came from. No big deal and certainly not something to make an issue over or tell a story about. Once out of the dryer and still not totally dry they were hung on the outside clothesline to finish drying. Still not a big deal until one of them slipped the cloths pin holding it and fell to the porch floor. Along came on of the dogs that falls in the tolerate category. He stole the pad and carried it off to a hidden spot in the yard.

When it was time to bring the pads in there was only one. So the Doberman was called and told to "find it". Giving a puzzled look she dutifully went down the steps and in a slow, methodically manner checked around the ground close to the porch. After all, normally when she is called to retrieve an object from that location, it was dropped and can be found right at the base of the porch. There was nothing.

Again, she was told to "find it". So she widened her search and checked the entire side yard. Nothing. Her quizzical look earn yet another "find it" with a wide sweep of an arm. So she moved her search further out into the yard. On her fifth pass she spotted a something. A something that didn't belong in the yard. It was hidden on the far side of the parked truck and had fallen or been pushed sort of under/behind the left front tire. Not sure that was what she was supposed to be finding she continued around the truck.

Again she heard "find it" and saw the wide sweep of the arm. So she turned around, went back to the something that didn't belong, picked up up and carried it to the back of the truck. As she looked up for further instructions she heard "YESSSSSSSS". Just the information needed and with no further prompting or help she brought the pad back, up the steps, into the house and straight to the crate where it belonged. Her pride in being able to successfully complete the job had her smiling, doing a little hop/skip victory dance and just generally getting some pretty intense pleasure from the challenge and the victory.

Now comes my puzzlement. Why do so many dog owners seem to feel that the first dog is happy and joyful and the second dog is sad and cheated out of critical praise?

Yes, before you ask, the second dog is Sanity and I am sort of glowing over her latest display of understanding, her acceptance of responsibility AND the obvious pride she takes in doing each job she is assigned.

Yes, I also know who the first dog is and no I won't name her since she doesn't belong to me. What I will say is that she is not a happy, relaxed, confident dog. She is not a dog that is secure with her place in life, she is not trained, much less well trained. She is rude and she is very dangerous. How is it that even after killing another dog, her owner continues to remain clueless?

Meanwhile, Sanity really ROCKS!

Why?

My goal is the abolition of all animal agriculture. " ~~ HSUS Grass Roots Coordinator, HSUS lead Dog-Fighting supposed expert, and lastly, felon arsonist-terrorist, J P Goodwin.

“We have no ethical obligation to preserve the different breeds of livestock produced through selective breeding ...One generation and out. We have no problems with the extinction of domestic animals. They are creations of human selective breeding.”~~ Wayne Pacelle, HSUS.


Let's add these two quotes to each and every letter, fax and email sent to legislators. And ask, WHY ARE THESE TERRORISTS allowed to walk the halls of our government? Why are they given appointments with legislators and many times we are not? Why do politicians line up for promised donations from animal enterprise terrorists?

Remembering Wrap

Wrap in a relaxed moment at Oliver's Tavern. I'm hoping that those who knew Wrap will share some of their stories about her. Or share a story I sent them long ago about something special, silly, wise, clever, gentle or even naughty.

This is a story I wrote to explain the coming of The Alien. I had forgotten all about it until Steve Kuhn was kind enough to share it with me.

___________________

Stories of her will live on.
Steve Kuhn
Hasbrouck Heights, NJ 1360

-----Original Message-----
Wrap started out life as a pretty normal Doberman pup. Then one night there was a blinding flash of light in the southern sky and a blast of sound like the falling of a thousand 300 year old trees. No one could figure out what had happened and it wasn't until a couple of days had passed that anyone noticed anything different.

The difference? The difference was that a normal Doberman pup was now acting very strangely. She seemed able to levitate and stay in the air for much longer than would be considered normal. She seemed to be able to cause small items to just lift from the ground and end up in her mouth even when she herself was airborne. There were many other small things that were now different. Her breeder was in a total state of despair of ever being able to do anything with her. For one thing, she seemed to have forgotten her name. Things just seemed to fall over and break as she flew passed, she was never where you would have expected her to be and where ever she was, she didn't stay for long. What to do, what to do?

A far away trainer, a trainer living in the cold north was looking for a new dog and the breeder decided to take a chance. This pup who now didn't seem to know her name any longer was sent away. Away to the cold, cold north to stay. If they would have her.

In the north, it was snowing and the wind was blowing and the trainer said, "I know you. Your name is Wrap and you are that Alien I was warned about. When did you land? Why did you pick a Doberman pup's body to hide in?"

Wrap, The Alien, just flicked her ears, crossed her eyes and grinned. It's going to be a fun filled few years. Get ready, humans.

_______________________

And so it was. A glorious, exciting ride full of small and large pleasures, just enough bumps to keep things interesting and sadly over way too soon. mw


________________________

Molly and I first met Wrap in October of 2001 when we came to Margot for training. Molly spent lots of time in Wrap’s company both in training and in day care, and they grew older together. Molly modeled much of her behavior after Wrap, and to this day, nearly eight years later, I still see some of Wrap’s behavior in Molly. Wrap taught Molly how to do the squirrel dance, and they spent many hours dancing together under the trees, until they both started to get too many aches and pains to dance as much. Then, they retired together to Margot’s office to watch the youngsters play outside. Margot, remember when the two old hunters went from squirrels to turtles, and you took the picture of them with the turtle Sydney put in the baby pool?

Wrap taught Molly how to run between two dogs that were beginning to face off in order to break them up. Today, Molly still uses that skill quite effectively to break up our cats when they begin hissing at each other.
Wrap also taught Molly how to be a very good nurse when I’m feeling ill, just like Wrap cared for Margot when she was having a bad day. That’s probably the most special thing that Wrap passed on to Molly.

And, Wrap taught Molly how to be a good demo dog and help younger, less experienced dogs learn. So, when Lightning joined our family, and Molly had her own protégé, she was able to help Lightning learn the ropes, just like Wrap had helped her.
Thanks, Wrap, for being a very special dog. I’m so glad we got to see you one last time just a month ago, and I got to give you one last massage. Rest in peace.

Diane, Molly and Lightning

__________________
I remember and was even able to find the picture. mw

---------------------------------

I met Wrap during your Mundelein Seminar with Mary and Pam. During "half time" you had evidently turned your back as Wrap had to have crossed the training room floor. I turned around at the touch of a dog's nose on my hand with a quick lick.. I turned just in time to see Wrap heading away from me and back to you. It left such an impression because to this day I never knew if Wrap was scolding me for not having a dog present or feeling sorry for me. She was such a magnificant dog Margot and I just loved her dedication to her purpose on this earth.

Glenda Williams

You got to experience one of the reasons why she was called The Alien. She seemed to be able to appear and disappear pretty much at will. Most of the time she used that ability to make someone feel better. mw

-------------------------

Margot: As I type this email my eyes are filled with tears. Wrap was an extraordinary dog with integrity and kindness that far exceeds some humans. Caesar learned a lot from Wrap. Wrap was a role model that affected so many dogs, and thus families. Wrap trained and taught Caesar how to behave and how to be a leader. Whenever Caesar encounters pups or small dogs, you can see Wrap's insight come out of him because he tries to show them what to do.

Wrap was just so precious and loved to be 'loved.' Even now, Caesar will use Wrap's tactic of nudging your hand onto his head to get 'love.'

My prayers are with you and all the lives that Wrap touched. Wrap will never be forgotten!

With Love,

Tammy, Patrick, and Caesar Copernicus

--------------------------------

Margot,

I am so sorry to hear about the Wrap. Every time I saw your sign about whether one could make it to the fence before Jaws clenched on the thief’s posterior, I thought of Wrap. Besides you, Wrap was one of the few earthly creatures that could make Trevor behave.

Jim

--------------------------

Margot,
Dave, Nate and I are so grateful to Wrap for training our beloved Jing to be such an inspiring dog that the first family had to follow suit and get their own well trained porty-Jing dog clone.
Nance


What a great creature she was.....sigh

Nance Pettit

Wrap, The Alien RIP

A taste of the sweet, young spring grass


November 28, 1997 – April 8, 2009

Redenau Pizazz, CDX

Better known as Wrap, The Alien,
she was my Service Dog extraordinary, teacher, trainer, helper, jokester, guardian,
and she has left the building.
Rest in Peace good friend. You leave a huge tear in my heart.

Many have ask about Wrap’s final day and some have expressed the hope that she wasn’t in pain. No, I don’t think she was in much pain. I was giving her just enough Rimydal to keep her comfortable and not enough to make it impossible for her to do a few of her favorite things.

Yesterday she managed to play with her young Maltese friend Rugby. She was up and able to eat her dinner just like always, but was grateful that Sanity picked up her dirty pan and took it to the kitchen so she wouldn’t have to deal with the kitchen floor. She went outside a couple of times and enjoyed the yard.

This morning she was weaker and it took a bit more effort for her to get up and head for the office door. All the wild/rough young dogs had to spend the morning in kennel runs to allow her to safely move about HER yard one last time.

She greeted most of the morning’s day care owners at the gate, just like old times. She found a squirrel to yell at even managed a tiny half circle spin/dance. She ever so carefully checked out almost every single square inch of the yard. She had to give the top of the mulch pile a pass since it was just a bit too steep and the ground to unsteady for her to keep her balance.

She drank a lap or two from each of the water buckets, yelled at Sanity, moved between Sammy and Ferris to head off an argument, and then,searched but didn’t find the rabbit trespasser. She even retrieved a dumbbell and picked up a single piece of trash. By that time she was getting pretty tired and so made her way ever so slowly back up the ramp and in the house.

There was a fresh, clean padded area for her favorite spot in a patch of sunlight in the living room. True, it did take her two tries and some help from me to make it to her “pad”, but make it on her own she did. With only a little extra help she was able to lie down and an additional Rimydal helped her to be about as comfortable as possible so she could drift off to sleep.

Later, Dr. Morris arrived. Sydney, Leanne, Dr. Morris and I all sat around on the floor beside her. We stroked her as we remembered something special she had done and while we were remembering the needle slipped in a vein and she drifted off as smoothly and peacefully as if she was just going to rest for a moment or two.

Go! Petland

If someone had told me 50 years ago that I would be loudly cheering for a pet store chain I would have had to ask them what they were talking about. Who knew from chain pet stores then?

If someone had told me 40 years ago that I would call a chain pet store the good guy, I suspect I would have told them they were crazy.

If someone had told me 30 years ago that I would call for everyone to support a chain pet store I would have run them off my property.

But 20 years ago I was starting to wondering about the koolaide being offered up by PETA and HSUS and wondering if the pet stores that sold puppies and kittens were really all that bad.

Just 10 years ago I sat up and realized that the majority of puppies coming to me from training and doing well were coming from the local puppy store. At the same time I noticed that the older dogs coming to me with problems seemed to have all been "adopted" rather than purchased. That is information I am still mulling over. Meanwhile, comes a chain pet store who has what it takes to stand up and fight for their rights, yours rights and my rights. I say, "You go, guys!"

Below is the latest open letter from them to the AR Stormtroopers.

An Open Letter to The Humane Society of the United States (HSUS)
Print version
January 19, 2009

Dear Humane Society of the United States,

Petland is continuing its stand against substandard breeders. As such, Petland has repeatedly, over the last two months, asked the Humane Society of the United States (HSUS) to provide information that will lead to the relief of numerous distressed animals allegedly identified by your organization in your supposed report.

If there was an 8month investigation and the last two months of unfulfilled requests for information are included, then this is a period spanning 10 months where animals were suffering and HSUS did nothing. The HSUS has not provided this specific information to Petland or to the USDA.

If information exists, for the welfare of the supposedly identified animals, please supply that information immediately to the proper authorities and to Petland so we may provide assistance. Only with this specific information may assistance be rendered to the animals.

We strongly contend that the HSUS has not reported its supposed findings to the proper authorities because HSUS has no substantive information to provide to the authorities. One cannot report baseless slander as evidence to a federal agency.
Facts are stubborn things. The continuous emotional spin and sensationalized slander by your organization cannot alter stubborn facts.

These are the facts:

Fact: The HSUS has not supplied Petland with any material, other than USDA reports which were already public record. The few USDA reports provided by you are dated and many regard breeders that are on Petland’s “Do Not Buy” list.

Fact: Videos used by HSUS in the slanderous attack upon our good name show dogs in cages that have no connection to Petland, (as verified personally by Stephanie Shain during a phone conversation with Petland Vice President Joe Watson on Dec. 9, 2008), however, the title above the video of the distressed animals falsely says, “Petland Investigation.”

Fact: Videos of breeders on the HSUS Web site, referenced by you as “evidence,” are on Petland’s “DO NOT BUY” list, which means we have identified them as substandard breeders and are not doing business with them.

Fact: Petland has taken a stand against substandard breeders by forcing the closure of substandard breeding facilities and, as a result, have raised the bar for the entire pet industry.

Fact: Through Petland’s “Pets For a Lifetime,” “Adopt-A-Pet,” early Spay/Neuter programs and our Humane Care Guidelines, Petland has a proven history of taking action and improving the lives of pets for more than 41 years.

Fact: Petland has agreed to meet with HSUS once we have received the information we have justly requested.

Fact: The summary of the HSUS “investigation” shows your organization listed Petland stores in states that do not operate stores.

Once we have received the information we originally requested 57 days ago, we will review it as a basis for a substantive discussion.

We genuinely want a solution that is best for the animals.

As Petland is committed to taking a stand against substandard breeders, we welcome all partners in this noble undertaking and urge that the requested information is sent immediately.

Sincerely,
The Petland Family

Also Breed-Specific Laws, Pet Limits, Tethering Bans

Been laid low by some health issues the past couple of weeks. Will try to get some more cool pictures up in the next couple of days. Meanwhile, the article below, written by John Yates is yet another piece of very important information that needs to be read, talked about and acted upon by as many good people as possible. Have you talked to your 50 yet?

-----------------------------------
What Can You Do If Spay/Neuter
Mandate Comes To Your Town?

Also Breed-Specific Laws, Pet Limits, Tethering Bans

by JOHN YATES
American Sporting Dog Alliance
http://www.americansportingdogalliance.org
asda@csonline.net
This report is archived at: http://eaglerock814.proboards107.com/index.cgi?action=display&board=general&thread=15

It can be a terrifying experience for dog owners when animal rights legislation surfaces in the municipality where they live, and it’s a pretty sure bet that someday soon it will happen to you.

You will feel powerless. You will be very scared. You will feel like a victim of violence, and that is precisely what you are. The law is a loaded weapon, and you know it can be pointed at you and the animals you love. You also know that animal rights extremists want to point that gun at you and your dogs, and pull the trigger.

No dog owner can feel safe from these legal attacks. Within the past year, animal rights ordinances have arisen in communities as diverse as affluent Santa Barbara, rural Greene County, TN, small towns and farm country in Ohio, and inner city Chicago. It is fair to say that proposed ordinances that will harm you and your dogs will come to your community in the very near future. There is no escaping it.

This report is meant to be a clear and concise guide to defending yourself. Protecting your rights won’t be easy, but it can be done. I speak as a dog owner, professional dog trainer, and as an experienced activist working to protect dog owners’ rights.

However, I am speaking mostly from the background of 20 years as a reporter and editor on daily newspapers. During that time, I watched hundreds of local political issues rise and fall. I learned what works, and what doesn’t. I have seen how small special interest groups can impose their will on an entire community, and I have seen what people can do to stop them. I also have learned the kinds of political mistakes people have made that have allowed special interest groups, such as animal rights groups, to win. I have seen what it takes to beat them.

The first thing you must understand fully is that you will have two strikes against you by the time you even learn about impending animal rights legislation.

Animal rights groups are pros. They know exactly what they are doing. They have the backing of powerful, wealthy, skilled and experienced national organizations, such as the radical Humane Society of the United States (HSUS), which has nothing to do with local humane societies and exists only as a political weapon to push for the elimination of animal ownership in America. These groups are very well organized, have money to burn and have been working behind the scenes for several years in your community.

By the time you realize that something is happening, the animal rights groups will be close to the goal line. They will have the ordinance drafted, with guidance from HSUS. They will have formed a “citizen’s committee” that has had the ear of local officials for months, if not years. They will have controlled relevant data that officials need to make an informed decision, and carefully hidden any inconvenient facts. They also will have made alliances with local news reporters, and the press is likely to be against you.

While there may be only 50 or fewer animal rights activists involved in most communities, they are truly dedicated to their beliefs. They write letters. They show up at meetings. They contact elected officials. They have money set aside. They have contacts with many other groups in your state and nearby communities, and can turn out 100 people at a meeting masquerading as locals to create the illusion of public support.

In contrast, you and other dog owners are alone. Only a few of you know about what’s happening, and many of you will be afraid to step forward. You are not organized. You have no effective means of communication. You do not have access to facts and statistics that tell the truth. You don’t know how to reach elected officials, have been iced out of the phony “citizen’s group,” and you don’t have contacts in the news media.

If that isn’t enough, you will be portrayed as pure evil. You will be lied about, slandered and accused of things you would never even dream of doing. While you will be innocent of all of the accusations, you will find yourself on the defensive. The most difficult thing for a person to do is to prove her or his innocence, even if the allegations against them are completely absurd. The accuser always has the upper hand.

It sounds hopeless, doesn’t it?

But it’s not.

You have one ally that the animal rights groups will never have. The truth is on your side. Your job is to find the truth and communicate it effectively to local officials.

Six Absolute Rules

Here are six absolute rules that I have learned from 20 years of journalism, and an equal amount of time as an activist on animal and constitutional issues:

· You have to do it yourself. No one else will do it for you. No national or statewide organization can win your fight, including our organization. We can help you. We can give you information, statistics and research findings. We can help you organize and network with other local dog owners. We can tell you about the experiences of other communities. We can give you many bullets to take to the war. But only you can do it. Our job is to stand behind you and support your efforts.

· Local officials care only about one group of people: Local residents. They care about the people they represent and serve, and they couldn’t care less about outsiders. They care about the people who can actually vote for or against them. In local issues, only local people count. You must stand up and be counted. You need to bring together other local dog owners who also are willing to stand up and be counted.

· To bring people together, you must completely set aside your personal insecurities and biases about race, ethnic heritage and economic status. Every dog owner in your community is in this together. If you don’t hang together, you will hang separately. Never forget that a key part of the animal rights strategy is to divide dog owners from each other, so that all can be conquered. There is no room for elitism of any kind when an animal rights ordinance is introduced.

· You need friends – lots of friends. That means that people who actually live in your community must show support, even if the issue doesn’t directly affect them. You need people who have only one or two dogs, but respect your right to raise dogs. You need people who hate dogs, but respect your decision to love them. You need local veterinarians and the owners of local feed and pet stores. You need local businesses that rely on people who travel with pets. You need people who love freedom, and know that an attack on your freedom paves the way for an attack on their own.

· Some of the best friends you can have are local and statewide organizations for sportsmen and firearms owners, even if you don’t hunt and won’t own a gun. These groups will have dozens if not hundreds of local members, and they already have set up excellent communications channels for their members and supporters. They will be on your side. Sportsmen understand the real agenda of animal rights groups, and gun owners understand the link between animal rights and gun control. In rural areas, alliances with farm organizations also are very important.

· And you must always take the high road. There is no substitute for honesty and integrity. Always speak the truth. Never resort to dirty tricks. If you stay on the ethical high ground, you will quickly set yourselves apart from the animal rights groups, which rely on lies, distortions, secrecy and innuendos. Many political battles are won by the side that displays the most credibility, and credibility is based on honesty and integrity.

If you keep those six absolute rules firmly in mind, you are well on your way to protecting your rights as dog owners in your community. In every community in America where animal rights groups have won a political battle, dog owners have broken one or more of those rules.

What To Do?

Given those rules, what should you do?

The first step is to reach out to other local dog owners, both to inform them and also to ask for their assistance. Here’s how:

· Call everyone you know who owns a dog, used to own a dog, or who hunts, fishes or owns firearms. Specifically ask them to help, ask them what they are willing to do, and write it down. Don’t be shy. Get on the phone and burn leather.

· Search the Yellow Pages and Internet for local kennels, breeders and pet services. Contact them. Local kennel clubs and field trial clubs often provide good contact information for officers, members, breeders and judges. Write, email or phone club secretaries and ask them for help.

· When you get a few good people committed, organize a local dog owners association. It doesn’t have to be formal or highly organized. Simply put together a basic structure, and invite people to join. Membership should be free. If you occasionally need a little money, “passing the hat” works fine. Organize your group quickly, without delay. A local organization will be heard more easily than individual people going off in different directions. You don’t have to incorporate or become a non-profit. This is still America, and citizens have a right to form and participate in political groups. Just do it, and do it now.

· Create a website for your association with one of the free services, such as Yahoo Geocities or Bravenet. You don’t have to know anything about building websites. They have “paint by numbers” templates. On the website, describe the organization, write about what is happening, and add a blog or message board for breaking news. Get a free email address from Yahoo, Hotmail, Gmail or other services. Use it.

· Publicize your website by posting short articles on Internet message boards that cover your area, dogs, hunting and guns. Ask people who read these message boards to pass the word along to their friends who live in or near your community, and to crosspost your announcement on other boards.

· Get the word out in the community. Create simple posters with contact information (copy paper will do) for supportive businesses to put in their windows. Don’t be shy about asking for help or asking people to contact your organization. Hang posters in stores and veterinarians’ offices. Hang them in every part of town, and in every neighborhood. Post them on laundromat and grocery store bulletin boards, in union halls and fraternal organizations, and in churches and libraries. If you can get some help, pass out a few hundred in the local Wal-Mart parking lot or at community events.

· Pass the hat (or dig into your own wallet) and run inexpensive classified ads in your local newspaper or swap sheet. Ads in the pets or announcements sections are appropriate. A fifty-dollar-bill can reach thousands of people this way. Also, see if your community has an online classifieds board, and use it. Many are free.

· Support and work with a national and/or statewide dog owners’ rights organization. Most importantly, ask them to help you. National organizations can be invaluable sources of advice and counsel, know what has and has not worked in other communities, have access to important documents, studies and statistics that can help you, and have a large number of contacts in every state. They can help you get the word out, gain support and locate local dog owners. Consider these organizations as valuable resources to support you. Good organizations exist for the sole purpose of helping you.

· Look specifically for local veterinarians and attorneys, especially if they own or raise dogs. Ask veterinarians to write letters opposing the proposed ordinance (many will refuse, but probably most will not). Ask attorneys to offer their services without charge to review the legality of the ordinance, and put their comments in writing. If any of you are members of the local Chamber of Commerce, formally ask for their support (remember that pet owners pour a lot of money into local businesses. It is an economic issue, too.). Tourism organizations also may be appropriate, if your community hosts visiting hunters, or dog show or field trial participants. For tourists, it is important to have the image of being a “pet-friendly” community.

· An important tool is the simple fact that a large majority of residents of your community will be on your side. Your task is to prove it. Informal petitions are vital, because it will give you a long list of community residents who oppose an ordinance. These should be presented to elected officials at an opportune time. The petitions do not have to meet the legal requirements for a petition for an election. They simply will show elected officials that a large number of local (repeat, local) people are on your side. People should sign, and then print out their names and addresses.

· And your most important weapon is the truth. The animal rights groups will lie through their teeth to paint a false picture of a community crisis. You must respond with the truth, and have the facts and figures to back it up. Finding and assembling accurate information is a vital part of your arsenal. At this point, you will be ready to take your case to the local news media.

If you follow those steps, you will develop a core group of activists and a list of hundreds if not thousands of local people who are on your side. Local residents who support you will include dog owners, their neighbors, veterinarians, attorneys, business people and community leaders.

What You’ll Face

The animal rights groups will have laid the foundation for a destructive ordinance long before you ever know about it. They won’t play fair. They won’t tell the truth.

Here is what to do:

· Most likely, your community’s animal rights activists will assemble around an existing organization, and may have even taken over the leadership of that organization. This could include local humane societies, rescue groups, and pet disaster response groups. Many of them also will have ties to national groups, such as HSUS, People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA) and radical vegan vegetarian groups. You must learn the identities of local animal rights activists, research their ties to national groups, and then learn about the agenda of those groups. Don’t avoid these people. Meet them. Introduce yourself. Flat out ask them their beliefs and affiliations with animal rights groups. Many of them are proud of these affiliations. The profile you develop will be important to present to elected officials at the right time. Rescue and sheltering organizations also have to learn a hard lesson. Dog owners are their major source of their support, and it is unwise to bite the hand that feeds you.

· Most likely, local animal rights activists will have formed some sort of committee or task force. People who raise dogs will not be allowed to participate. Probably they have been working for years to manufacture a crisis in your community, have met with elected and/or appointed municipal officials several times, have painted themselves as a concerned citizens group to conceal their real agenda, have drafted an ordinance in cooperation with HSUS as a silent partner, and have found at least one sympathetic elected official to support and introduce the ordinance. Your job will be to prove that this group does not reflect the sentiments of the vast majority of residents of your community. You also will be able to prove that this group (and the participation of municipal officials) violates the spirit if not the letter of state open meetings laws or “sunshine laws.” It is an end-run around the concept of public accountability and transparency.

· You will need to be able to counter every one of their allegations with the truth. If they say your community is full of “puppy mills,” for example, you will need to learn exactly how many (if any) commercial kennels really exist. You will need to know how many (if any) have ever been cited for violating any kind of kennel or animal cruelty law. All violations are matters of public record, and the information can be readily obtained. If they claim there is a problem with “pet overpopulation” in your community, you will need to obtain complete animal control statistics for several years, which also are public record. The simple facts will reduce the animal rights allegations to shambles.

· You also need to counter their outrageous allegations with a thorough knowledge of existing animal laws in your state, county and local municipality. For example, if a lot of loose dogs are picked up in certain neighborhoods, they may claim that the solution is a spay/neuter mandate. In reality, your community probably already has a leash law that is not being enforced. You must clearly point out a solution that fits the problem.

· You also must be able to counter the animal rights groups’ propaganda. You need to have access to documentation that similar ordinances in other communities always have increased shelter admissions and euthanasia rates, always have led to a decrease in license law compliance and revenues to operate animal control programs, and always have led to a decline in rabies vaccinations because veterinarians are required to turn over information about each dog to local authorities. In addition, you must be able to refute the animal rights groups’ claims that pet sterilization is completely safe. The bulk of the most recent research has shown increases in serious and sometimes fatal health conditions caused by spaying or neutering, especially at a young age, and the national association for veterinary reproductive specialists has come out firmly against spay/neuter mandates for this reason. In addition, these mandates violate the doctor/patient relationship, and also the veterinary code of ethics in many states.

· The essence of all animal rights legislation is making innocent and law-abiding animal owners pay for the sins of the tiny minority of people who flaunt the law. That is because their goal is not to solve a problem. Their goal is to make it difficult for you to continue to raise or own dogs. You must answer with the facts, showing how existing laws and appropriate enforcement of those laws actually will solve whatever problems your community may be experiencing.

· A very common animal rights tactic is to take an isolated bad situation, and then try to convince elected officials that it is the norm and all dog owners need to be intensively regulated. For example, if someone in your community has been arrested for horrible violations of animal cruelty laws, the animal rights groups will claim that this is justification for more and stricter laws for all dog owners. The truth is that the arrest and conviction prove that existing laws are working very well. This is a point you must make repeatedly, until the truth sinks in.

· They will not fight fair. Animal rights groups tend to focus on several communities in a state at the same time. If you start seeing a lot of news stories about alleged abuses of dogs in your state, you will know that this is a coordinated effort to “spin” reality that was probably orchestrated by HSUS. They are trying to paint an illusory picture to cause people to think dogs are in crisis, and new laws are needed. The truth once again is that these sensationalized stories prove that existing laws are working. Arrests are made, convictions are obtained, and the animals have been rescued. The laws work. The incidents are not a justification for laws that harm law-abiding and conscientious people.

· They will lie. For example, they will claim that a large number of dogs entering the local animal shelter are “purebreds,” and that this justifies laws restricting the ability to raise purebred dogs. But they lie by not telling you the full story. The full story is that most actual purebreds enter a shelter because their owners are seeking euthanasia services for dogs that are very ill, seriously injured or in advanced old age. They also won’t tell you that the few purebred dogs that are picked up escaped confinement and were immediately reclaimed by their owners. They won’t tell you that the few purebreds that are surrendered to the shelter are immediately taken by rescue groups, because of the high demand for these dogs. And they won’t tell you that they call a dog purebred if it looks “more or less” like a recognized breed. Many of these are labeled “pit bulls,” which is not even a recognized breed. See for yourself. Simply walk through your local animal shelter a few times. I can guarantee you that you will see few if any dogs that appear to be purebreds.

· They also will talk about shelter statistics as proof of the need for restrictions on purebred dog breeding. They are lying. Walk through your local shelter and you will find few (if any) puppies. There actually is a serious shortage of puppies in animal shelters, because these are the most easily adopted dogs. Sheltering organizations must expend considerable effort trying to talk people into adopting older dogs because of the scarcity of puppies.

· Another way that they will lie is to try to hide the successes of animal control and sheltering programs, in order to “spin” a false picture of a crisis. They won’t tell you that national shelter admissions have fallen almost 60% over the past 15 years, while euthanasia rates have been cut by 75-percent. They won’t tell you that 70-percent of the dogs in America already are spayed or neutered voluntarily by their owners. They won’t tell you that most shelters in the northeast, upper Midwest and on the West Coast already are close to “no-kill” for healthy and adoptable dogs. You need to learn the truth and make the truth the centerpiece of your rebuttals. To counter these claims, make use of your local and statewide open records laws and “sunshine laws” to get the full facts. Sometimes all you have to do is walk into your local animal control office and ask for them. Other times, these reports are filed with a state agency, and you can obtain them there. We can help you find this documentation.

· They will say awful things about you. They will tar you by creating imaginary links between dog owners and dog fighters. They will link you to the drug culture and to people who abuse animals. They will accuse serious and conscientious dog breeders of being “puppy mills” or “backyard breeders.” Someone who raises animals because he or she loves them will be accused of being a “hoarder.” People who sell puppies will be accused of being greedy, or exploiting animals for profit. People who buy a purebred puppy will be accused of causing the death of a shelter dog. These claims are both absurd and outrageous. We can help you learn how to answer them with the truth.

· Never forget the real agenda of the animal rights groups, which is to eventually eliminate all animal ownership. They are trying to make people into the guardians of their animals, rather than their owners. This makes animals into wards of the state, rather than private property. This reduces you to proving to the state that you are a fit guardian, and gives the state ultimate control of your animals. Stand up for American values, including the right to honorably seek profit. Don’t buy into the socialist belief that profit equals greed or that you are responsible to “society” for problems you didn’t create, and don’t be afraid to say that many of the leaders of major animal rights groups enjoy their six-figure incomes and multi-million-dollar facilities. They are as phony as a pile of three-dollar bills.

· And spend time studying the U.S. Constitution and Bill of Rights, and your state’s constitution and bill of rights. Almost all animal rights legislation infringes on human rights by denying due process of the law, equal protection under the law, and protections against illegal searches and seizures. Quite simply, almost all animal rights legislation is anti-American and reflects Marxist principles of state authority. You need to say this loudly and clearly, because it is the truth. In addition, many state constitutions define a right to own and enjoy private property, and many states have laws that clearly say that animals are private property. Learn the law and educate local elected officials.

Divide and Conquer

A favorite tactic of animal rights activists is to divide dog owners so that we won’t stand up and fight for each other’s rights. Unfortunately, many dog owners play right into their hands through a misguided sense of elitism.

Animal rights groups try to make certain categories of dog owners into “untouchables,” so that other dog owners will be afraid to defend them. They also will attempt to exploit racial, ethnic, cultural and economic differences and insecurities, which keeps us apart.

Make no mistake about it, animal rights groups are utterly unscrupulous. Racism is one of their major tools, especially in urban areas. They exploit fears of crime by talking about dog fighters, links to the drug culture and “gangbangers” who own “pitbulls.” What they are really doing is exploiting racial fears and prejudices, sometimes by fanning the flames of naked hatred.

The divide and conquer strategy was a major part of what happened last year in Dallas, which passed a tough spay/neuter mandate, and it is happening now in Chicago, which is considering one.

When animal rights groups say “gangbanger,” they actually mean “Black” and “Hispanic.” They say “dogfighting,” but they mean “Black” and “Hispanic.” They say “pitbulls.” They mean “Black” and “Hispanic.” The animal rights activists are using racist implications to manipulate and exploit fear of high crime urban areas, thus dividing dog owners by race and neighborhood. They reduce anyone who is not like them to “those people.”

When it comes to regulating the breeding of dogs, the animal rights groups usually link “puppy mills” to Amish people, thus encouraging and exploiting ethnic differences. Conservative Christians who live according to the old ways are no longer politically correct, and their religious beliefs forbid them from fighting back or filing a defamation of character suit. Some of the inaccurate and bigoted comments I have heard from animal rights supporters about Amish people sound exactly like what the Ku Klux Klan says about racial minorities. It is hate speech at its worst.

With tethering issues or restrictions on hunting with hounds, they paint a picture of “redneck” white people who fit every possible stereotype of hillbilly degenerates. “Crazy old ladies” are fair game, too, under the label of “hoarder.”

All are reduced to “those people.” They are objectified and dehumanized, which to the animal rights fanatic is a justification to destroy them and their way of life.

They try to divide the world between “people like us” and “people like them.” They know that most people won’t support people that they can’t identify with.

It’s also a dirty trick. It causes too many of us to take our eyes off the ball, which is how the regulations or laws will affect us and everybody else. The animal rights groups say they are targeting dogfighting, puppy mills or hoarders, but read the fine print. It always will come down to targeting you.

A major goal of dividing us is to make some of us show a willingness to “compromise.” By “compromise,” I mean they are encouraging us to sell out certain kinds of dog owners who fail the political correctness test.

There is no such thing as compromise with animal rights groups, because everything they stand for requires us to make all of the sacrifices, in order to give them what they want. They have nothing to exchange.

A true compromise is when both sides give up something in order to gain more important things. Animal rights groups have nothing to trade except the gun pointed at your head. They can shoot you in the heart, shoot you in the leg or simply shoot off one of your toes.

Some compromise!

It is like an armed robber who demands your wallet, takes the cash and offers you a “compromise” of letting you keep your credit cards.

Playing on our fears also means we are not likely to seek support from all racial, ethnic and economic groups. This was a huge reason why Dallas dog owners lost their fight to stop a spay/neuter mandate.

Although a majority of Dallas residents are Black or Hispanic, their assistance was not sought in defeating this ordinance. To put it bluntly, most of the people who fought against the ordinance were white and of well above average means.

They simply were afraid to go into poor neighborhoods, or seek support from Black and Hispanic people.

A majority of the members of Dallas City Council are Black or Hispanic, and represent districts that are predominantly Black or Hispanic.

To put it even more bluntly, the dog owners they saw at City Council meetings were upper middle class or wealthy white people. Most of them raised show dogs, which were portrayed by the animal rights activists as toys for the rich. In contrast, animal rights groups succeeded in portraying themselves as nice people who love animals, when exactly the opposite is true.

Thus, dog owners were immediately branded as elitists.

That kind of label is suicide in big city politics, and Chicago dog owners are falling into this trap today.

But it’s not true. The truth is that dog owners, including people who raise, show and compete with dogs, extend across all racial, ethnic, cultural and economic lines. We really are all in it together. If we unite, we can defeat the animal rights extremists. If we fail to unite, we will lose.

The American Sporting Dog Alliance recognizes that dog owners have failed to bridge ethnic and economic differences.. Thus, we are taking immediate and forceful steps to reach out to and support many other groups of dog owners, and have recently added inner city, Black and Hispanic dog ownership advocates to our leadership team.

We have made a formal alliance with a newly forming group called the National Association of Canine Experts (NICE), which is working to break down many of the barriers that separate dog owners. NICE founder Ami Moore now is a member of our advisory board, and I am a member of the NICE board.

Ms. Moore is a professional dog trainer from inner city Chicago who has superb credentials as an obedience and behavioral trainer. She is articulate, exceptionally intelligent and insightful, and passionately dedicated to preserving the rights of dog owners. Moreover, she is streetwise and as a Black person fully understands how subliminal racism is being used by animal rights groups to divide dog owners, as it has been used to divide Black people from their community in many other ways.

Dog owners everywhere also owe Ms. Moore a debt of gratitude. Animal rights groups went after her personally because she uses electric collars in dog training, as do most professional and amateur trainers everywhere. The animal rights groups took her to court, alleging that the use of electric collars is animal cruelty. She didn’t back down, fought back through the legal system and won. All charges against her were dismissed and the use of electric collars as a humane training tool was fully exonerated in Illinois.

The American Sporting Dog Alliance also has dedicated funds to advertise in Chicago newspapers to gain support from urban dog owners to fight against the proposed ordinance.

An important part of the strategy that dog owners must learn to use is to be able to state clearly and categorically that we are the mainstream of America.

A reported 37-percent of American households own at least one dog. National polls from mainstream publications, such as Parade Magazine and MSN/NBC news, show that the vast majority of the American people oppose spay/neuter mandates. Opposition was at 91-percent in the recent Parade poll, for example.

Animal rights groups are the real minority, and probably represent less than five percent of any community, and probably are less than one percent in most places. But they are organized and vocal, and they turn out in droves for meetings before elected officials. This has given them the appearance of being a large segment of the community, when that is purely an illusion.

That’s why local dog owners must organized and get a large turnout of their supporters at municipal meetings.

We are the mainstream. Animal rights groups are the radical fringe.

Elected officials need to know this.

So do news reporters.

Dealing With The News Media

Sooner or later (and probably sooner), every local dog owners’ organization will have to deal with the news media. In many cases, it will not be a pleasant experience.

Animal rights groups have a well-developed strategy of identifying and cultivating friendly contacts in the news media long before an ordinance arises. All news reporters are under intense and continual pressure on their jobs to come up with a steady stream of news stories, and also to come up with stories that will have high sensationalistic appeal to attract readers.

Animal rights groups have learned how to exploit this.

News reporters who are sympathetic to the animal rights groups know that they will be given leads to many stories every year, as long as they don’t work too hard to be fair and objective.

In addition, stories about controversial animal issues tend to cause a strong emotional response with readers, which assures them prominent placement in newspapers or on TV news shows.

Both are important to a reporter’s job security.

The animal rights groups are pros at plucking emotional heartstrings by their portrayals of animal abuse or euthanasia at the local animal shelter, and then in using those horrible examples to further their own agenda against every dog owner.

The finger always gets pointed at us, and news reports often are hatchet jobs on dog owners. Fair and balanced news coverage takes a backseat to sensationalism and emotional response.

Our problem is that good news is inherently boring. A story about someone who takes good care of her or his dogs usually is as dull as lukewarm milk. It lacks drama. It lacks impact.

But the news story about the one dog owner in a thousand who is abusive has plenty of drama, impact and reader appeal.

Dog owners’ first recourse should be to appeal to the sense of journalistic professionalism in some reporters and editors. A worthy news story must be accurate, fair and balanced between opposing points of view. Any story that fails this test is poor journalism.

I strongly believe that dog owners always should take the high road, by advocating what is right and fair. I don’t think we should use the animal rights group strategy of trying to manipulate the news through “tame” or personally biased reporters.

Instead, we should formally object to poor reporting to the publisher, station manager, editors and the parent company of local news outlets.

We also should state our objections in pointed letters to the editor, and try to convince editors to give us space for an “op ed” column or an equal time rebuttal to poor news coverage.

In dealing with reporters, it is essential for us to be armed with the facts. We need to have the correct information, and state our case clearly and effectively. We also have to be prepared to answer some downright nasty questions, such as: “How can you breed dogs when many dogs are euthanized by animal control.”

We have truthful and honest answers to those kinds of questions, and dog owners have to be prepared for them. We can help.

The “news value” of a story depends on drama and conflict, which creates high reader response.

Thus, we must learn to use drama and conflict in an effective and ethical manner to answer the allegations of animal rights groups.

We must learn to set aside “good manners” and “call a spade a spade.” That means confronting the lies and distortions of the animal rights groups with the facts, and sometimes at public meetings we have to be prepared to speak bluntly. It means objecting to the secrecy of the so-called task force meeting, talking publicly about the real agenda of the animal rights groups and their assault on American values, and defending freedom in a clear voice.

Dog owners definitely face a tough fight and a stacked deck when animal rights ordinances are proposed on a local level.

But we believe we have shown how these bad ordinances can be defeated by truth, honesty and integrity.

The American Sporting Dog Alliance represents owners, breeders and professionals who work with breeds of dogs that are used for hunting. We also welcome people who work with other breeds, as legislative issues affect all of us. We are a grassroots movement working to protect the rights of dog owners, and to assure that the traditional relationships between dogs and humans maintains its rightful place in American society and life.

The American Sporting Dog Alliance also needs your help so that we can continue to work to protect the rights of dog owners. Your membership, participation and support are truly essential to the success of our mission. We are funded solely by your donations in order to maintain strict independence.

Please visit us on the web at http://www.americansportingdogalliance.org. Our email is asda@csonline.net.

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Anyone who has the power to make you believe absurdities has the power to make you commit injustices. Voltaire Think about that the next time you hear or read what passes for humane treatment according to HSUS or PETA.