Today I am going to try to tackle what might be a controversial subject. Animals being kept in captivity. I am really going to try to look at the issue objectively. I think there are many reasons both for and against. Yesterday, a killer whale in Florida drowned one of its trainers. This is the [...]
Archive for February, 2010
23 Feb
Happy Spay Day!
So today is Spay Day, and I am (cautiously) going to discuss the topic a bit more. My last post got an unexpected response. People obviously feel very strongly about the subject. I don’t even know most of the people who commented. Clearly I can’t tell you what you should do with your pets. [...]
16 Feb
Saving One Animal Will Not Save The World… But Surely, For That One Animal The World Will Change Forever
Here are some sobering statistics about pet overpopulation: An estimated five million dogs and cats are killed in shelters every year. That is about one every six and a half seconds. Seven dogs and cats are born every day for each person born in the U.S. Of these, only one in five stay in their [...]
12 Feb
In order to love simply, it is necessary to know how to show love
I have to vent about something totally unrelated to animals. I know I am risking sounding completely ungrateful and that is not at all my intent. Here I go: Valentine’s Day annoys me. I think it is a stupid holiday. I like chocolate, but I can buy that anytime I want. I don’t really need [...]
11 Feb
If you know wilderness in the way that you know love, you would be unwilling to let it go
There are between 72,000 and 1.5 million wildlife-vehicle collisions every year. I know we have all done it. That little furry creature dashes out in front of you, and you swerve, or brake, (Or don’t…I know you aren’t supposed to, but it is a normal reaction.) but your attempt is futile. Small animals don’t have [...]
10 Feb
In order to really enjoy a dog, one doesn’t merely try to train him to be semi human. The point of it is to open oneself to the possibility of becoming partly a dog.
Today I want to talk about programs that allow inmates the opportunity to train dogs while incarcerated. The participants in these programs are carefully selected, and if they cause any infraction they are no longer allowed to take part. The programs differ a bit, but here is the gist: The animals are chosen from shelters, [...]
9 Feb
Dogs love their friends and bite their enemies, quite unlike people,who are incapable of pure love and always have to mix love and hate
February is Pet Dental Month. Even the most well-meaning pet owner probably doesn’t give much thought to the importance of dental care. The American Veterinary Medical Association estimates that more than 80 percent of dogs and 70 percent of cats have dental disease by the time they are three years old. This can cause inflammation, [...]
4 Feb
Think occasionally of the suffering of which you spare yourself the sight.
Stace‘s blog about the evil that is plastic inspired me to write about my crusade. It all started with this little show on Animal Planet. Orangutan Island, how I miss thee! It got two seasons, and was canceled because the ratings didn’t justify the cost. I do know that it had quite the cult following [...]
3 Feb
At his best, man is the noblest of all animals; separated from law and justice he is the worst.
I read an article yesterday that I find very troubling. Cabela’s and Sportsman’s Warehouse sponsor “predator derbies” where points are assigned for every animal killed. You can read more here and here. This year wolves have been added to the list of animals killed for sport. I am not a hunter. I have no desire [...]
