Thank You Oprah

Puppies are a cash crop in Pennsylvania

SE PA Puppy Mills Exposed on Oprah

Oprah responds to billboard request by local animal welfare advocate to do a show about Pennsylvania puppy mills.

"I would never, ever adopt another pet now without going to a shelter to do it," Winfrey said in a statement released yesterday. "I am a changed woman after seeing this show."

Click on above link to read today's story in the Philadelphia Inquirer.

Friday, April 4th, 2008

4:00 p.m. EST

(show repeated at 1:05 am EST)

Booth's corner farmers market

No Buddy Gets Left Behind

The SPCA International is re-uniting American soldiers with the dogs they fell in love with while serving in Iraq.

Click on the above link to the Bagdad Pups site and from there watch videos and read more.

Interesting report about legal ramifications of animals rescued from disasters

(please use above link to read the report from the original source)

Do We Decon Dogs?

Legal guidance on decontaminating animals

Do your preparedness plans and protocols include the decontamination of animals? They should.

Historically, an ongoing debate has raged about whether animals have "rights." In other words, do humans have an ethical or legal duty toward animals in general or at least to some classes of animals?

Ethical rights and duties are determined and enforced by public opinion. Various religions have differing views on the ethical rights of animals, ranging from the Buddhist belief that all life is interrelated to certain Christian beliefs that animals exist only for the use of human beings.

By contrast, legal rights are conferred by legislatures or the common law and are enforced by court action. And responders have varying levels of legal responsibility to animals.

Animals are unequal under the law

Traditionally, the law distinguished between two types of animals, wild and domestic. As animals become domesticated, they-and their owners-acquire more legal status. For example, the owner of a lost pet clearly has a greater claim for its return than does a trapper who loses a captured animal.

The current legal view considers domestic animals to be their owners' personal property. This has several implications. Traditionally, common law has recognized that individuals have an inherent privilege to control and use their possessions as they wish, with minimal legal oversight. Because the law stipulates that someone may not use a possession to cause harm to others, for example, the owner of a dog known to be aggressive must muzzle that dog.

Pets: Under current law, an owner may recover only actual damages to a pet, meaning that any loss of a pet would likely result in a financial award sufficient only to replace that pet at the animal's fair market value.

Recently, however, some courts have allowed claims for loss of a pet to include some compensation for sentimental value.

Claims for emotional damages suffered by animal owners have seldom proved successful. But some legal scholars envision future claims for loss of companionship and have proposed laws to remedy this and other damage inequities involving the loss of pets.

A logical extension of this reasoning could allow an individual to file a lawsuit for a failure to decontaminate a pet. However, such a lawsuit likely would not succeed because of the immunity that protects public safety agencies under most circumstances-especially if the claim involved a mass casualty situation.

Although no laws require first response agencies to decontaminate pets, people most likely will have close contact with their pets, so it may make sense to decontaminate those animals-if only to prevent people from becoming recontaminated. This does present a couple of problems, however. Often, pets are not accustomed to being handled by strangers, especially the type of handling required to decontaminate them, so they could present dangers to responders. Additionally, most evacuation facilities do not admit pets, so the problem arises about where to put the animals. So you'll need to incorporate ways to solve these problems into your pre-incident plan.

Working animals & service animals: First responders will encounter two classes of animals in hazmat environments that do have special rights under the law: working animals and service animals.

Working animals-including police horses, arson dogs, and search-and-rescue dogs-have the rights and privileges of commissioned officers and must be treated accordingly. This means if your protocols call for the decontamination of commissioned officers in a hazmat environment, you also must decon these working animals.

Animals that have received special training and have unique responsibilities toward their disabled owners occupy a special niche in the law. Common examples of service animals include seeing-eye dogs, deaf-assistance dogs and paraplegic-assistance animals. Although dogs are the most common service animals, other animals, such as monkeys and pigs, have also been trained to fulfill special needs for the disabled.

Because service animals are usually the property and extension of a disabled person, they have significant legal rights derived from federal disability laws. Title III of the Americans with Disabilities Act (42 U.S.C. § 12182[a]) requires that, "No individual shall be discriminated against on the basis of disability in the full and equal enjoyment of the goods, services, facilities, privileges, advantages, or accommodations of any place of public accommodation."

Service animals are also generally exempt from laws that restrict the presence of pets. The U.S. Justice Department states, "Generally, a public accommodation shall modify policies, practices, or procedures to permit the use of a service animal by an individual with a disability."

The Justice Department explains that this statement "reflects the general intent of Congress that public accommodations take the necessary steps to accommodate service animals and to ensure that individuals with disabilities are not separated from their service animals. It is intended that the broadest feasible access be provided to service animals in all places of public accommodation."

Decontamination facilities are considered places of public accommodation. As such, they legally cannot restrict a seeing-eye dog just as they cannot refuse to decontaminate the dog's blind owner. Service animals are trained to be handled by strangers and would likely peacefully submit to decontamination procedures, especially in the presence of their owners. Therefore, any argument that decontamination of the animal might present a threat to health and safety likely would not override accommodation laws.

People who suffer discrimination under federal accommodation laws may file a civil rights lawsuit-even against public officials and government agencies. Civil rights lawsuits also lack immunities or damage caps, so a court may award a plaintiff both punitive damages and attorney's fees.

In addition, a flurry of recent state laws specifically addresses harm to service animals, and penalties for violation of those laws range from monetary damages to criminal penalties. Such laws likely will proliferate, and first response agencies should know the applicable statutes in their state and consult legal counsel on how such laws would apply in a mass casualty situation.

Although no legal decisions have specifically addressed the need to decontaminate service animals, federal and state laws indicate a clear responsibility to do so-and include penalties for not doing so.

First response agencies should develop policies and procedures to address the decontamination of both service animals and working animals and then train responders in those techniques.

For more information on the subject of animal decontamination, check out these online courses from the Federal Emergency Management Agency: "IS 10: Animals in Disaster - Module A Awareness and Preparedness" and "IS 11: Animals in Disaster - Module B Community Planning."

Spencer Hall, MD, JD, is an emergency physician and consulting attorney in New Mexico who teaches courses on preparedness for weapons of mass destruction for the National Defense Preparedness Consortium. He has ongoing field experience in fire, EMS, hazmat and emergency management.

The author would like to thank Lexis-Nexis andthe Texas Engineering Extension Service of the Texas A&M University System for research support for this article.

Homeland First Response is an online publication that trancends job titles (police chief, fire captain, EMS supervisor) and focuses on an all-hazards approach to major incidents for all segments of public safety. Originally started by Elsevier Public Safety as a print publication, it is now exclusively in online format. It serves as a conduit to inform each public safety sector with groundbreaking articles about important developments and intiatives in each area and appears as a featured section on JEMS.com .

Copyright © Elsevier Inc., a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved. Terms and Conditions Privacy Policy.

Suspect & fugitive in Edna case arrested

Victor Rodriguez, the 15 year old who has been under a bench warrant by the Philadelphia police for failure to appear at his arraignment, was apprehended today and is in police custody. He is the suspect sought for having placed terroristic and extortionistic phone calls to Bill Whiting while torturing a dog he claimed to be Bill's dog, Edna.

The Justice for Edna rally & press conference is Wednesday (see previous blog post for more details) in front of the Verizon building in Philadelphia at 1717 Arch Street. William B. Petersen, the President of Verizon PA, will be asked to accept the 839 pages of the petition that was signed by more than 5000 people from all over the world.

Beautiful Young Redhead seeks forever home in NYC area

If you are looking for a dog truly deserving of your love and devotion, please click on the above link.

Potential adopters will be carefully screened!

JUSTICE for EDNA rally Wednesday March 5th

The Philadelphia District Attorney's office has asked Bill to hold a press conference on Wednesday, March 5th, at 12 noon.

It will be held in front of the Verizon Tower at 1717 Arch Street.

New information about his dog, Edna's disappearance will be released to the press.

People are encouraged to make a presence and to bring their pets if at all possible.

Justice for Edna t-shirts will be sold for $5.00 at the rally.

Please cross-post this to anyone you feel might be interested in animal rights, and how animal cruelty escalates to violent crimes against people.

Chicago Premiere: Because They Have No Words

(EVANSTON, ILLINOIS) Piven Theatre proudly announces the Chicago Premiere of Because They Have No Words, written by Tim Maddock and Lotti Louise Pharriss, and directed by Emilie Beck.

• Production opens on Monday, May 12^th
• Production runs from May 12^th – June 15^th
• Tickets: $23-25 / group rates available for groups of 10 or more.
• At the Piven Theatre, 927 Noyes Street in Evanston.
• Ticket and show information at (847) 866-8049 or www.piventheatre.org
  

Because They Have No Words was nominated for the 2007 Ovation Awards in two catagories: World Premiere Play and Ensemble Performance.

This production focuses on the true story of Tim Maddock who, in response to Hurricane Katrina, traveled to New Orleans and threw himself into the chaos of animal rescue efforts in the wake of the storm. In September of 2005, Tim loaded his car with food, water, clothing and rescue gear. He said goodbye to his partner and his dog, and drove straight into the heart of one of the greatest natural disasters in our country’s history.

During his time in New Orleans, Tim witnessed great human tragedy and stupendous bureaucratic blunders. From the stranded animals somehow able to weather the storm, to the frantic, grief-stricken families searching for the pets they were forced to abandon, the flood of emotion was a constant reminder of the failures of a city, a state, and a nation to respond when their citizens needed them most.

The play, written by Tim Maddock and Lotti Louise Pharriss received its world-premiere in L.A. under the direction of Piven Theatre Workshop alum Emilie Beck. Piven Theatre is pleased to reunite the playwrights with their original director, Ms. Beck, for this Midwest Premiere and to announce that the play’s author and inspiration, Tim Maddock, will be starring in the production.

This riveting true story has been called “Raw, moving, and darkly humorous” by the L.A. Weekly and Backstage West proclaims it “Reminds us of what good theatre is capable of achieving.”

About The Piven Theatre:

For 35 years, the Piven Theatre Workshop has remained a nationally respected acting school and professional Equity theatre. Within recent years, Piven Theatre has received an After Dark Award for Outstanding Ensemble, several Joseph Jefferson Recommendations, a Jeff Award for Best New Adaptation, and a Jeff nomination for Best Original Score. Co-Founders Byrne & Joyce Piven have trained countless theatre artists such as John and Joan Cusack, Kate Walsh, Aidan Quinn, Lili Taylor and Jeremy Piven, to name only a few. Stagebill honored the Pivens with the designation “Chicago’s first family of acting.” The Pivens have been awarded the Evanston Arts Council Youth and Education Award, the Evanston Mayors Award for the Arts, Lifetime Achievement Awards from the Chicago Improv Festival, and the University of Chicago’s Glorious Gargoyle Award for lifetime contribution to the theatre. They were named 1996 Artists of the Year by the Chicago Tribune and were recipients of the Chicago Drama League’s 1998 Crystal Award. In 2000, they were awarded a Joseph Jefferson Lifetime Achievement Award. For more information, please visit www.piventheatre.org

Video of memorial for the murdered pets of St. Bernard Parish

Pam Leavy, the guardian angel for the animals of New Orleans since Katrina, made this video of last month's memorial service for the pets that were murdered at three schools in St. Bernard Parish as well as shot on the street murdered by St. Bernard Parish sheriff deputies.

The memorial service was conceived, planned and organized by Kelle Davis, a rescuer from Texas, who wanted to simply lay some flowers outside P.T. Beauregard School.

Because the memorial was planned for the day that the trial against the deputies was set to begin, other Katrina rescuers were in town, and Kelle's plan for a small, personal memorial soon took on a life of it's own as evident from the video.

People from all over the country who couldn't be there but who had been involved with Katrina rescues and reunions sent flowers and wreaths; some, like Kelle's rescue partner Barb, decided to hop on a plane from CA to Louisiana at the last minute. John Bozes drove many hours to be there - his dog Angel Girl was killed along with two of his family's other dogs.

One of the highlights of the video is Barb and Kelle's reunion with Mercedes, the dog belonging to Chris Acosta that they rescued weeks after the massacre. Kelle not only rescued Mercedes, but fostered her and then reunited her with her very grateful owner and was thrilled to see her and Chris again.

(Chris Acosta is featured in the film, An American Opera, for having rescued many elderly residents from St. Rita's Nursing Home; e saved the lives of many people before evacuating himself).

Thank you all for signing petition for Edna

More than 5000 signatures were collected and the petition was delivered to the Mayor of Philadelphia as well as to the Chairman & CEO of Verizon and the President of Verizon-Pennsylvania.

Click above for a complete update.

Happy Birthday Murphy!

Murphy taking a nap on Ruby

Murphy is three years old.

I will never know his real birthday so today seems like an appropriate day to celebrate the dog love of my life.

Murphy came to me as a foster in the fall of 2005, a Katrina orphan. I searched for his owner from the moment I first saw his Petfinder records in early September. One of the Petfinder records listed him as being eight years old.

Ruby was eight at the time, and she was the reason for what I did to help get Katrina pets rescued and reunited. The thought of her alone and terrified and separated from me made me do what I did and kept me going.

I named him Murphy because he looked like a little Irish cop. He was listed a being a Shih Tzu, a Lhasa Apso and a mix. He looked like a sweet little shaggy dog to me. I just knew that someone had to be missing him. But no one ever turned up.

It was only when I took him to my vet who told me that he was between 7-9 months old did it make sense that no one was looking for him.

If his owners had lost their home and all their possessions, and had him for only 3-6 months before Katrina, they probably were too overwhelmed to look for their puppy. I like to think that they were later able to find out that he was rescued and safe. I also like to think that when they get their lives back to order, they will get another dog or puppy. He was obviously well loved and cared for, and for all he had been through in his young life, he bonded with me instantly and strongly. And I with him. If it's possible for a human and a dog to be soul-mates, we are.

He is a Lhasa Apso, probably a pure-breed but I'll never know and don't really care. He has that somewhat stubborn, somewhat willful, playful, clown-like Lhasa personality. He is the most perceptive dog I've ever known. Every day he makes me laugh and opens my heart a little more.

I love the Tibetan legends surrounding Lhasa Apsos. One is that monks believe they are reincarnated lions and as such hold them in high esteem. Another legend is that priests who failed to reach Nirvana were reincarnated as Lhasa Apsos and that golden Lhasas are said to house the souls of the Dalai Lamas.

New Orleans Party for the Pit Bulls

Making Snow Angels

Memorial Service TOMORROW in memory of 33 dogs killed in St. Bernard Parish

There will be a memorial service and a laying of wreaths and flowers outside P.T. Beauregard Middle School at 2:00 Wednesday, January 30th. The school is located at 1201 Bayou Road in St. in St. Bernard.

If you can attend, please be there by 2:00. If you can't attend but would like to order flowers or a wreath to be placed at the school, or contribute to one of the wreaths, please email me (noanimalleftbehind@gmail.com) and include your phone number. I'll call and put you in touch with the florist and make sure that your flowers are included in the delivery tomorrow.

The informal ceremony, open to everyone, is to remember the 33 dogs that were killed by St. Bernard Parish Sheriff Deputies in September 2005. Additionally, Minton and others shot and killed an untold number of dogs outside running loose; some of the owners who were forced to evacuate without their pets decided to give their dogs a better chance on their own outside than inside their flooded homes or the schools.

The trial was set to begin today but charges were dropped last week by the new Attorney General due to "lack of evidence." I guess in Louisiana, video footage of (former) Deputy Minton shooting dogs off the back of a pickup truck as well as his confession don't count as evidence. I guess neither does the testimony of the National Guardsmen at the school or the owners of some of the dogs who overheard them saying that they were going to kill the dogs as soon as they left.

I have no doubt there is a very special place in hell for them.

St. Bernard Parish deputies won't be prosecuted in dog shootings

Michael Vick's former dogs evaluated, healed, and loved by Bad Rap - Thank You!

Click on the link above to view the three wonderful slideshows of the Vick dogs taken in by Bad Rap (Bay Area Doglovers Responsible About Pitbulls) that show them from initial evaluation until now that they are happy, healthy, loved and loving dogs.

(they also have some cool t-shirts for sale)!

Arrest has been made for torture and extortion of Edna

Teen charged & facing trial in cruel dog-extortion case
By Stu Bykofsky, Philadelphia Daily News

Click on above link to read the story.

Not Left Behind: Rescuing the Pets of New Orleans (by Best Friends Animal Society) now $3.99

For everyone who looked at the photos in this book at a Barnes & Noble or Borders bookstore but didn't want to pay $20 for it, it's now on clearance for $3.99.

The link above is to the Barnes & Noble website; I also saw a bunch of them on the sale shelf today at my local B & N store.

Simba has been REUNITED !!!

It's been over two years since Ben, Dionne, Nicholas and Jordan saw their dog Simba. On December 22 they drove from their temporary home in Virginia (where they've been living and working while awaiting their return to New Orleans) to the shelter in NJ where they were reunited with Simba.