Saturday, December 21, 2013

How to keep your pets safe for the holidays

Christmas is coming! All those shiny presents and pretty snow but don't forget some things are harmful to your pets. 


Little dog with antlers in front of a Christmas tree


 Christmas Tree Securely anchor your Christmas tree so it doesn't tip and fall, causing possible injury to your pet. This will also prevent the tree water—which may contain fertilizers that can cause stomach upset—from spilling. Stagnant tree water is a breeding ground for bacteria and your pet could end up with nausea or diarrhea should he imbibe.

Tinsel-less Town 
Kitties love this sparkly, light-catching "toy" that's easy to bat around and carry in their mouths. But a nibble can lead to a swallow, which can lead to an obstructed digestive tract, severe vomiting, dehydration and possible surgery. It's best to brighten your boughs with something other than tinsel.

No Feasting for the Furries 
By now you know not to feed your pets chocolate and anything sweetened with xylitol, but do you know the lengths to which an enterprising fur kid will go to chomp on something yummy? Make sure to keep your pets away from the table and unattended plates of food, and be sure to secure the lids on garbage cans.

Toy Joy 
Looking to stuff your pet's stockings? Choose gifts that are safe. 

  • Dogs have been known to tear their toys apart and swallowing the pieces, which can then become lodged in the esophagus, stomach or intestines. Stick with chew toys that are basically indestructible, Kongs that can be stuffed with healthy foods or chew treats that are designed to be safely digestible. 
  • Long, stringy things are a feline's dream, but the most risky toys for cats involve ribbon, yarn and loose little parts that can get stuck in the intestines, often necessitating surgery. Surprise kitty with a new ball that's too big to swallow, a stuffed catnip toy or the interactive cat dancer—and tons of play sessions together.

Forget the Mistletoe & Holly 
Holly, when ingested, can cause pets to suffer nausea, vomiting and diarrhea. Mistletoe can cause gastrointestinal upset and cardiovascular problems. And many varieties of lilies, can cause kidney failure in cats if ingested. Opt for just-as-jolly artificial plants made from silk or plastic, or choose a pet-safe bouquet.

Leave the Leftovers 
Fatty, spicy and human foods, as well as bones, should not be fed to your furry friends. Pets can join the festivities in other fun ways that won't lead to costly medical bills.

That Holiday Glow 
Don't leave lighted candles unattended. Pets may burn themselves or cause a fire if they knock candles over. Be sure to use appropriate candle holders, placed on a stable surface. And if you leave the room, put the candle out!

Wired Up 
Keep wires, batteries and glass or plastic ornaments out of paws' reach. A wire can deliver a potentially lethal electrical shock and a punctured battery can cause burns to the mouth and esophagus, while shards of breakable ornaments can damage your pet's mouth.

House Rules 
If your animal-loving guests would like to give your pets a little extra attention and exercise while you're busy tending to the party, ask them to feel free to start a nice play or petting session.

Put the Meds Away 
Make sure all of your medications are locked behind secure doors, and be sure to tell your guests to keep their meds zipped up and packed away, too.

A Room of Their Own 
Give your pet his own quiet space to retreat to—complete with fresh water and a place to snuggle. Shy pups and cats might want to hide out under a piece of furniture, in their carrying case or in a separate room away from the party.

New Year's Noise 
As you count down to the new year, please keep in mind that strings of thrown confetti can get lodged in a cat's intestines, if ingested, perhaps necessitating surgery. Noisy poppers can terrify pets and cause possible damage to sensitive ears. 



This may sound like a lot but it's not and its worth it to keep your beloved pet safe! Happy holidays! 



                        ~Jenna

Happy Birthday!!

Today is Julia's birthday!!!! Hope you have a great day!!!! ❤🎊🎉🎁🎈

Friday, December 20, 2013

Animal Fighting

Animal fighting is cruel and its's a shock at how popular it is. It is not just dog fighting, people make Roosters fight too- called cock fights.People actually find animal fights entertaining, which is sickening and cruel.

This a picture of a dog after a fight.


In the United States, the three most common types of animal fighting are:
Dogfighting
In organized dogfighting cases, two dogs are put into a ring or pit to fight until one cannot continue or dies. In street dogfighting cases, the level of organization is substantially lacking and fights occur, sometimes spontaneously, in secluded spots within city parks, school lots, alleys or other similar locations.
Cockfighting
Handlers attach a razor to each rooster’s leg (usually the left leg) and put them into a ring to fight to the death. Attendees often consider the events to be family entertainment.
Hog-dog fighting (Also known as “hog-dog trials” or “hog-dog rodeos”)
In a “hog-catching” event, dogs (usually pit bulls) are put in a pen and timed for how quickly they can attack and pin a feral hog whose tusks have been cut off. Handlers may use a breaking stick to pry apart the jaws of the biting dogs. The attack on the hog may be fatal. In a “hog-baying” event, dogs are timed for how quickly they can corner a hog. Injuries can result from dogs biting hogs or defensive hogs throwing dogs in the air. Attendees consider the events to be family entertainment.
Issues common to animal fighting cases:
  • Organized animal fighting is usually a secretive industry and very difficult for law enforcement to infiltrate. Accordingly, it is rare for investigators to find a fight in progress.
  • Animal fighting activities attract other serious crimes, such as gambling, drug dealing, weapons offenses and money laundering. Children are commonly present at animal fighting events. Pet theft to acquire bait animals is also a common byproduct crime.
  • In organized animal fighting cases in which law enforcement officers are able to seize the animals in a raid, there are usually a large number of animals who must be catalogued as evidence, provided with medical treatment, and sheltered during the pendency of the court case. Furthermore, security precautions may be necessary at the shelter venue because animals considered to be from “champion bloodlines” are in danger of being stolen.
  • Most animals who have been trained for organized fights are so aggressive that they ultimately must be euthanized. However, prosecutors can petition the court to appoint a guardian/special master to act in the animals’ best interests regarding their final disposition. The special master appointed in the Michael Vick dogfighting case secured the placement of 48 dogs who were not euthanized. Each state has its own court rules regarding the appointment of special masters.
Issues specific to dogfighting cases:
  • Canine victims usually suffer ongoing neglect and cruelty during the “training” process. They are often: forced to wear heavy chains and run on treadmills; left outside without shelter; fed steroids to increase muscle mass; fed stimulants to make them aggressive in a fight; fed narcotics so they don’t feel pain in a fight; starved to make them aggressive or so they can “make weight” in a contract fight; and subjected to cruel amateur ear cropping and treatment for fighting injuries. Females may be confined in “rape boxes” for breeding.
  • Trainers may viciously kill dogs who refuse to fight or who lose fights. Killing methods include shooting, hanging, drowning and electrocution. In the “dog man’s” world, the credo is “Breed the best and bury the rest.”
  • Trainers ruthlessly acquire animals to use as live bait. Acquisition methods include fraudulently acquiring dogs or cats from shelters or via “free to a good home” ads, setting up a sham rescue organization, or outright pet theft. The bait animals are often attacked and torn apart during training.
  • Some handlers may lace their dog’s coat with poison or paralytics to harm the opponent.
  • Innocent people may become terrorized, fearing for themselves, their children or their pets because of criminal activity among neighbors and their vicious dogs who might get loose.





                                          -Jenna

What Can You do to stop Greyhound Racing?

Greyhound racing is an industry that exists solely for the entertainment of humans—at the cost of animal lives. Eliminating greyhound racing is possible through education, compassion, and action. Help keep the movement growing with a few simple actions of your own:

1. Don't patronize greyhound tracks or bet on dog racing.

2. Educate your friends, family and co-workers about the realities of greyhound racing, and encourage them to boycott greyhound racing and betting.

3. Consider volunteering your time or expertise to a local greyhound protection organization.

4. Write to your state officials to express your opposition if you live in a state that operates greyhound racing tracks or one of the states that has not yet banned greyhound racing. Tell them that greyhounds belong in loving homes, not on race tracks.

5. Consider contacting a greyhound rescue group if you are interested in adopting a companion animal.

6. Distribute copies of this website's page to others and share this website online.

Historically speaking, greyhounds are the most revered species of dog. Eliminating greyhound racing and the cruel practices that surround the sport will ensure that these beautiful dogs live out their lives in dignity.


~ Julia

Thursday, December 19, 2013

Minnie: Her Shelter Story

Jenna told you about her cat Jinger, and I would like to tell you about our dog Minnie, rescued from a kill shelter as well.

Well, not exactly rescued AT the kill shelter, but a nice foster lady rescued her, fostered her until she was a little older, and put her online at Petfinder.com with the adoption site link.

Her "profile" is pasted here which was so cute to read after we had had her for a while.

Minnie, a rat terrier/beagle mix, is about 3 months old. She is the sweetest little girl. She loves to cuddled with you and give kisses. She love children, other dogs and cats. She would fit in any home with her loving ways.

This is her picture when we first got her.


Cute, huh?!

We got her spayed at six months:

Cones are SO fun to wear......):



This is her now:

All grown up!



ALWAYS adopt a pet instead of getting it from a pet store. Get the app Petfinder too for lots of adoptable pets!! 


We love her so much! She is the best dog!








Question: Does New York Color Test On Animals?








If you are like me, you probably search if certain products test on animals......A LOT! I recently discover that the popular nail polish company New York Color was on a list of no testing products. Then, I noticed on a few other websites that they DID test on animals. Confusing, right? On the NYC FAQ page, I read this:

"Are NYC New York Color products tested on animals?

No, we do not test our finished products or ingredients on animals, nor do we commission any third party to do so."



 

I notice that they said finished product, sometimes a sign that the individual ingredients WERE tested on animals. Hmmm...

Another question they had:

"Are NYC New York Color products tested for safety?

Before we place a product on the market, we assess it thoroughly to ensure that it is safe for human use and for the environment and that it is compliant with all applicable laws, rules and regulations. Our safety assessment of cosmetic ingredients is based on the use of recognized alternatives to animal testing, the use of existing safety data and, increasingly, the sharing of such data from and with other industries."


Remember the post I did earlier today? Maybe not, so here is a section that I pasted.(from the post "9 Facts About Animal Testing")


 

  1. 9. “Alternative” tests are those that achieve one or more of the “three R’s:”

    • replaces a procedure that uses animals with a procedure that doesn’t use animals
    • reduces the number of animals used in a procedure
    • refines a procedure to alleviate or minimize potential animal pain








It's hard to tell which "alternative" test they used, or if they are just making that up altogether. 

However, I never go by just the FAQ page. Sometimes the information can be old. Sometimes it just might not be the whole truth.  

I always get in touch with the company to verify the information. Plus, a person is more likely to give you a real response to questions you might have than a FAQ page. Here is the e-mail reply that I received.

Thank you for your recent inquiry on New York Color Cosmetics regarding the use of animals in product safety testing.

Coty Inc. is a leader in the global beauty industry and one of the world's largest fragrance companies. We have developed a portfolio of notable brands and offer innovative products of outstanding quality for which we are committed to maintaining the highest possible standards of consumer safety.

Coty voluntarily ceased testing finished cosmetic products on animals in 1991, long before the official European ban on such testing in 2004. Coty has been actively involved for many years in the research and development of alternatives to animal testing.

Before we place a product on the market, we assess it thoroughly to ensure that it is safe for human use and for the environment and that it is compliant with all applicable laws, rules and regulations. We do not perform, nor do we ever commission any third parties on our behalf to perform, animal testing on our products or ingredients. Our safety assessment of cosmetic ingredients is based on the use of recognized alternatives to animal testing, the use of existing safety data and, increasingly, the sharing of such data from and with other industries.

We continue to strive for the development and acceptance of additional reliable non-animal testing methods and will continue to vigorously support the research, implementation and improvement of alternatives to animal testing, especially for those more complex tests for which no alternative methods have been established. For this purpose we actively participate in research programs in Europe and the USA by dedicating funding, time, resources and scientific expertise. The common goal of all these efforts is to completely eliminate animal testing.

Thank you for taking the time to write to us.



What’s missing from this reply? A confirmation that NYC doesn’t test on animals at any point during the process or use ingredients that have been tested by a third-party. 

While the FAQ page addresses the finished product and ingredients, it’s a question that’s being carefully avoided in this e-mail response. It should also be noted that the FAQ page does not address testing during the production of their products. There is only a confirmation that the finished products are not tested on animals. Not only did I ask about animal testing, but I also asked about their source of possible animal ingredients (such as glycerin) and whether the nail polish brushes were vegan or not. These questions were completely ignored. 

When I wrote back to ask for clarification, I never received a reply.

What should you take away from this? Ultimately, it’s your call about whether or not to trust that NYC (New York Color) is a cruelty free company. I personally will not be adding them to the list of cruelty free brands on this website and I will not buy their products. They are also a brand that I will not be featuring here on Voice 4 The Voiceless.


             ~ Julia



It's true pitbulls grab onto you... But your heart not your hand

Have you heard the story of the pitbull that got trapped on ice and then when they brought him onto the news he bit the news woman's face? Well just think how would you like it if you got trapped on ice then got a camera shoved in you face when all you wanted was probably to just curl up at home with some hot cocoa to warm you up?  Pitbulls are #2 on the sweetest, friendliest, non aggressive dog list. They are misunderstood and 1,000s of pitbulls get killed everyday just because they constantly get abused or made to fight other dogs or left at shelters because no one wants them when really they are extremely sweet friendly dogs ready to please their owner. Do you keep on hearing stories on how pitbulls will kill little kids? Do you know who said that? They are lying. Pitbulls are so sweet and will be ready at any second to protect you or just be your best friend. And always remember Adopt Don't Shop.


~Jenna

My cat, Jinger

This is my cat Jinger. I got her in 2009, she was also born in 2009, for the first 6 months of her life she was in a kill shelter with a cast on her right back foot. She was on her last day before they killed her when a group called last chance animal rescue group, they go to kill shelters and rescue pets that are on their last day. They happened to come into the shelter that day and Jinger was one of the cats they rescued fortunately. A few days later my brothers hamster died so we went to pet smart to get another one ( under my protest since our shelter had some cute ones) and I wanted to go see the cats since mom had promised me I could get one. I really wanted a girl cat but there was a certain cat that had won my heart, a few weeks after we moved in and while Jinger was in the shelter, I went onto a shelters website (the same one Jinger was in) and there was a beautiful cat a Gray one with ginger colored patches and a ginger stripe done her nose. When I looked at the cats at the pet store they were all males, then a worker came up to us and said "oh your looking for a female cat? I have one in my car I was about to bring in" so she brought the female cat in and said "this is Jinger we rescued here on her last day at a kill shelter"... It was the same cat I fell in love with on the website. 

She is now a happy healthy 4 year old cat and the shelter that she was at is now a no kill shelter.



~Jenna
 

Adopt Rabbits.....don't Shop!!!

Julia here. My pet rabbit is the best bunny I could ever ask for, but before you go out and get a bunny at a pet store where your rabbit could be sick, keep in mind there are actually a huge selection of bunnies at your local adoption shelter.


Continually overrun with abandoned rabbits, local shelters and rescues are the best place to find a new pet bunny. Not only will you save an animal from possible euthanasia, there are also several additional benefits.

Rescues often have rabbits of varying sizes, breeds, and ages. So, if you were looking specifically for a young, agouti mini lop, you will most likely find a good fit at the local shelter. But, you also might surprise yourself and fall in love with an older mixed breed rabbit once you start looking.
Aside from the ability to choose from a wide selection of different kinds of rabbits, adopting from a shelter or rescue is also very convenient. Volunteers at rescues take the time to acclimate rabbits to living in apartments and houses. In this way, the time you would have to take to train the rabbit is cut down considerably.
For example, volunteers will litter box train the rabbits as they come in, so although a rabbit may take a little while to adjust to living in a new home, you will not need to litter train your new bunny from scratch.
Furthermore, because a lot of rescued rabbits live in foster homes, many are accustomed to living in households with children and other pets. So if your household situation is similar, adopting a rabbit who is already comfortable in that environment makes the transition easier for both you and the rabbit.
If you were interested in having multiple pet rabbits, you may be able to adopt a bonded pair or trio. This saves you the time and effort of bonding the rabbits yourself. Adopting a bonded pair or trio is ideal if you work full time because the rabbits can entertain each other while you're gone.
In addition to saving a lot of time and effort, adopting a rabbit from a rescue also saves you money on vet bills. Rabbit rescues usually have partnerships with local vets, and rabbits will be spayed or neutered. So you can adopt a rabbit after he or she has recovered from the surgery and not have to worry about paying for the procedure.
Vet checking rabbit's ear
Moreover, some rabbits suffer from health conditions of varying severity. One common affliction is malocclusion, a condition where the rabbit's teeth are not aligned properly and the rabbit is unable to wear down his/her teeth.
When you adopt from a rescue, all the rabbits will be checked for malocclusion as well as other afflictions. They will then be properly treated.
If the rabbit has an chronic health issue, the rescue will alert potential new parents of the condition, so only those willing and able to care for the bunny can adopt him/her. If you purchase a rabbit from a breeder or pet store, they may not alert you to any pre-existing health problems.
Finally, rescue volunteers are very knowledgeable. Before leaving you on your own with your new companion, they will make sure you know how to properly care for your bunny. Understanding the behavior and needs of your rabbit will be essential to creating a rewarding, long-term relationship

To read more about pet rabbit care if you are thinking of adopting a bunny, click here. http://www.myhouserabbit.com/tip_thinking.php


9 Facts About Animal Testing

1. Over 100 million animals are burned, crippled, poisoned and abused in U.S. labs every year.

  1. 2. 92 percent of experimental drugs that are safe and effective in animals fail in human clinical trials because they are too dangerous or don’t work.
     
  2. 3.Labs that use mice, rats, birds, reptiles and amphibians are exempted from the minimal protections under the Animal Welfare Act (AWA).
     
  3. 4. Up to 90 percent of animals used in U.S. labs aren’t counted in the official statistics of animals tested.
     

  4. 5.According to the Humane Society, registration of a single pesticide requires more than 50 experiments and the use of as many as 12, 000 animals.

  5. 6.Even animals that are protected under the AWA can be abused and tortured. And the law doesn’t require the use of valid alternatives to animals, even if they are available. 
  6.  
  7.  
  8. 7. Several cosmetic tests commonly performed on mice, rats, rabbits, and guinea pigs include:
    • skin and eye irritation tests where chemicals are rubbed on shaved skin or dripped into the eyes without any pain relief.
    • repeated force-feeding studies that last weeks or months, to look for signs of general illness or specific health hazards.
    • widely condemned “lethal dose” tests, where animals are forced to swallow large amounts of a test chemical to determine what dose causes death.
  9.  8. The real life applications for some of the tested substances are as trivial as an “improved” laundry detergent, new eye shadow, or copycat drug to replace a profitable pharmaceutical whose patent expired.
  10.  
  11. 9. “Alternative” tests are those that achieve one or more of the “three R’s:”

    • replaces a procedure that uses animals with a procedure that doesn’t use animals
    • reduces the number of animals used in a procedure
    • refines a procedure to alleviate or minimize potential animal pain


Introduction

Hi, I'm Jenna and I'm Julia. We made this blog because we love animals and want to stop cruelty, testing, and fur and meat trade. In a week Julia and I will be making a presentation to show our parents and hopefully more people about how cruelly animals are treated. Some of things we will cover in the presentation



  • animal fighting
  • meat and fur trade
  • puppy mills 
  • etc.
if we can we will upload the presentation on here.