Category: North America

Surrender prevention programs brought drop in New York City shelter killing

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From ANIMAL PEOPLE,  September 2012:

As the July/August edition of ANIMAL PEOPLE reported, New York City has reduced municipal shelter killing to just one dog or cat per 1,000 human residents.  The previous lowest ever ratio was 1.3 in San Francisco, which has a human population base of only 750,000.

How did New York City accomplish this?  By introducing two major surrender prevention programs:  a telephone hot line to assist pet keepers in crisis, and a super low-cost mobile full veterinary service.  Both of these programs were initiated by the Companion Animal Network. Read more

Mercy for Animals exposes California slaughterhouse

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From ANIMAL PEOPLE,  September 2012:

HANFORD, Calif.–The Central Valley Meat Company in Hanford, California, specializing in slaughtering “retired” dairy cows, reopened on August 27, 2012, just seven days after it was closed by the USDA Office of Inspector General, in response to abuses documented in June 2012 by a Mercy for Animals undercover operative. Read more

New Pennsylvania dog law chief is Michael Pechert

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From ANIMAL PEOPLE,  September 2012:

Michael Pechert,  previously Pennsylvania executive deputy secretary for agriculture,  on July 31,  2012 succeeded Lynn Diehl as director of the Pennsylvania Dog Law Enforcement Office. Philadelphia Inquirer animal beat blogger Amy Worden described Diehl, a former bank manager, as “a Republican Party volunteer who had no prior experience in animal welfare or law enforcement.” Read more

Animal shelter leadership transitions

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From ANIMAL PEOPLE,  September 2012:

Bill Bruce, 58, director of  Calgary Animal & Bylaw Services since 2000, retired on August 3, 2012.  Dubbed “Bylaw Bill” by Sherri Zickefoose of the Calgary Herald, Bruce worked for the City of Calgary for more than 31 years. Like his predecessor as animal control chief, Jerry Aschenbrenner,  who headed the department for 25 years, Bruce advocated incentive-based animal control.  Under Aschenbrenner, Calgary achieved by far the highest rate of dog licensing compliance in North America and perhaps the world, exceeding 80%, more than twice the highest rate ever achieved by any U.S. city of comparable size.  Bruce boosted compliance to more than 90%.  Read more

Butterball Conviction

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From ANIMAL PEOPLE,  September 2012:

Former Butterball employee Brian Douglas,  one of five people shown abusing turkeys seen in undercover video footage obtained by Mercy For Animals in late 2011, pleaded guilty felonious cruelty to animals in Hoke County Superior Court in Raeford, North Carolina on August 28, 2012.  Douglas was sentenced to serve 30 days in jail followed by six months of probation and 36 months of supervised probation, to pay $550 in fines, and to provide a DNA sample to the state.  “Cases against the four other people charged are pending,” reported Fayetteville Observer staff writer Caitlin Dineen.

Former Pennsylvania dog law chief sues vocal critics

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From ANIMAL PEOPLE,  September 2012:

Jessie L. Smith, who headed Pennsylvania dog law enforcement 2005-2011, on August 15, 2012 filed a defamation case in Dauphin County Court against Main Line Animal Rescue founder William Smith, of Chester Springs, North Penn Puppy Mill Watch founder Jenny Stephens, of Lansdale, and blogger Teresita Delgado, of Lancaster. Read more

Dogs most often listed for sale or adoption

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From ANIMAL PEOPLE, July/August 2012:
Dogs most often listed for sale or adoption
2010 2011 2012 Avg. Ppltn.
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Large retrievers 8.7% 5.2% 8.2% 7.4% 5.2 m.
Pit bull class 4.1% 3.3% 4.6% 4.0% 2.8 m.
Small terriers 2.2% 2.1% 2.1% 2.1% 1.5 m.
Poodles 1.4% 2.0% 2.8% 2.1% 1.5 m.
Setter class 1.0% 2.3% 2.3% 1.9% 1.3 m.
German shepherds 1.7% 1.4% 2.3% 1.8% 1.3 m.
Spaniels 1.2% 2.0% 2.0% 1.7% 1.2 m.
Beagles 1.2% 1.2% 2.3% 1.6% 1.1 m.
Chihuahuas 2.4% 0.7% 0.4% 1.2% 0.8 m.

Rhode Island to give animals legal representation in cruelty & neglect cases

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From ANIMAL PEOPLE, July/August 2012:

Rhode Island to give animals legal representation in cruelty & neglect case

PROVIDENCE–Rhode Island Governor Lincoln Chafee on June 15, 2012 endorsed into law a bill that allows the director of the state Department of Environmental Management to designate a department veterinarian or a representative of the Rhode Island SPCA to act as an advocate for the animal victims in abuse and neglect cases. The advocate would be assigned to make recommendations on behalf of animal victims to any court in Rhode Island before which the custody or well-being of an animal is at issue. Introduced by state senator John J. Tassoni Jr. and state representative Peter John Petrarca, the new Rhode Island law is believed to be among the first of its kind in the world. Swiss voters in March 2007 rejected by a margin of more than 2-to-1 a ballot question seeking to establish a similar system. Governor Chafee on June 21 signed into law a bill banning the use of veal crates and restricting the use of gestation stalls for pigs. Nine other states have similar legislation.

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