Posts tagged "animal welfare"

Animal lovers won some big victories on Tuesday as voters went to the polls to protect the rights of animals large and small.

Fighting the War Against Puppy Mills
In the so-called "puppy-mill capital of the world," Missouri voters passed the nation's first statewide ballot measure to protect dogs from the worst abuses at puppy mills. The Humane Society of the United States (HSUS) campaigned for this legislation because at puppy mills in Missouri, dogs are typically crammed into small and filthy cages, denied veterinary care, exposed to extremes of heat and cold, and given no exercise or human affection. The proposition requires large-scale dog breeding operations to provide each dog under their care with sufficient food; clean water, housing and space; necessary veterinary care; regular exercise; and adequate rest between breeding cycles. The measure also prohibits any breeder from having more than 50 breeding dogs for the purpose of selling their puppies as pets, and creates a misdemeanor crime of "puppy-mill cruelty" for any violations.

"It is hard to overestimate the importance of this victory for the national effort to protect dogs from abuse and neglect and to reduce euthanasia of dogs throughout the nation," said Wayne Pacelle, president and CEO of HSUS. "We won in the state where the puppy mill industry is strongest, and now it is time for the mills to begin to conduct animal care in a fundamentally different way."

Recently, when East Edmond, Oklahoma was swamped with rain, rescue teams mobilized to save animals that were caught in the flooding. Animal Welfare Officer Lacie Smith told KFOR Oklahoma City that the fire department, strapped into life jackets, went swimming to save three horses, neck deep in water. Fashioning harnesses out of dog leashes, they managed to rescue two of the animals. Sadly, amidst the chaos, one of the horses, Reg, was swept down the Coffee Creek that had risen 25 ft. due to the storms.

According to Officer Mike Sullivan, the incident was "heartbreaking." He told KFOR Oklahoma City that "all we could do was hope in God and pray the horse could catch its grip and swim to higher ground and get out of the water."

Sullivan's prayers were answered. About a mile down the creek, Reg -- a retired race horse -- was found alive by Rick Scarberry, an animal lover who pulled the animal to shore, saving its life. Not only did Scarberry have the satisfaction of getting the animal to safety after several hours of tugging and pulling, he also ended up with another special gift. Watch the video to discover what that was.