Public consultation over the Dangerous Dogs Act

Source.

After years of campaigning by organisations such as Dogs Trust, the Government has launched a consultation over it's intended plans to tackle irresponsible dog ownership seeking our views on the issue.

The Government are proposing the following:

• To extend section 3 of the Dangerous Dogs Act to allow owners to be prosecuted for allowing their dogs to be dangerously out of control in any place, including private property.
• Allow dogs mentioned in section 1(deemed to be of a banned breed) to be granted "bail" meaning that following seizure by the police, if the dog was not deemed to be a threat to public safety and the owner was deemed responsible, the dog could be returned to the owner rather than going into police kennelling prior to any court date.
• To increase the fee for a section 1 dog to be placed on the Index of Exempted Dogs.
• To consult on plans to make micro-chipping compulsory for puppies.

 - Source, Dogs Trust.  If you want to read the full consultation documents you can do so here.

 

You have until the consultation closes on 15th June to give your views and you can do so by  quickly filling in this survey or by e-mailing Defra directly at: 

animalwelfare.consultations@defra.gsi.gov.uk

To help you fill in the survey have a look at the answers given by Dogs Trust which reflect that they don't think the Governments proposals go far enough.  Use this as a guide but remember to try and put it as much in your own words as possible.

Fluffy Friday #61

There is only one potential topic for this weeks Fluffy Friday - SUNSHINE!  Here in the UK we have been blessed with a heatwave after a very rainy few months.  Here are some photos I have taken showing some fluffy friends enjoying the sunshine.

Rusty giving in and letting it all hang out.

And   s  t  r  e  t  c  h !

A friend we made whilst holidaying in Switzerland a few years back.

A Rusty shaped silhouette.

Although not sun-worshipping Suki had just returned from a walk earlier this week and was very hot and bothered.  She has asked me to remind you to ensure your pets keep cool and safe in this lovely weather.

Let's hope the sun stays with us for the weekend!

Feeling hot, hot, hot?

Are you enjoying the weather?  How about your animals?  

Suki loves running about in the sunshine and rolling in the freshly cut grass but when we go for a walk she has to stop and have a rest and also likes to stop for a drink.  When we got home she has another long drink and a lie down, she even finds it too hot to cuddle preferring instead to lie on the cold floor.

I asked some fellow pet owners on Twitter how they keep their pets cool in the heat and a particularly good suggestion has been to soak a towel in cold water before laying it in the shade, your dog should automatically lay on the towel which will keep him/her nice and cool.  I am going to try that with Suki as think she would very much appreciate a nice cool towel to lie on, I might even try it myself!

Other tips include:

- Never EVER leave your pet in a hot car (Obviously!)

- Make sure your pet has plenty of water and access to a cool area 

- Avoid walking your dog during the hottest part of the day (Between 12 and 3pm)

- Always take water for your dog to drink whilst out walking

- Ensure animals that are kept outside are in a shady area

Please check out Don't Cook Your Dog website for advice about heatstroke and help them raise awareness to encourage other pet owners not to leave animals in hot cars.

Also read this excellent advice from Dogs Trust which contains some information you might not have thought of.

Harvard's animal cruelty must stop

When I think of Harvard I immediately think of a prestigious University, I remember Gilmore Girls and Legally Blonde with a smile.  I definitely don't think of animals being harmed in laboratories but it has emerged that Harvard Medical School has a history of neglecting, causing pain and even killing animals in its laboratories.

In October 2011, a marmoset escaped from his cage, he was subsequently captured and died during a traumatic imaging procedure at Harvard's New England Primate Research Center (NEPRC) where it is suspected the marmoset was so panicked that he suffered lethal injury during this course of events.  

Marmosets are being used to study the human ageing process which is something that is already being ethically investigated in humans very effectively.

Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine (PCRM) have uncovered new details about what happened and are asking for our help to convince NEPRC interim director Mark Barnes, J.D., LL.M., to immediately end the cruel and completely unnecessary experiment that killed the marmoset.  Federal authorities have been asked by PCRM to investigate the experiment but the marmosets are still at risk despite the protocol being suspended.


 


Please click here and fill in your details in order to ask NEPRC to end this cruel and unnecessary experiment immediately.

The end may be in sight for Harp Seals

A glimmer of hope shines for Canadian Harp Seals as it seems the end of the commercial seal slaughter in Canada is in sight.  

Due to the public outcry and years of campaigning, global demand for seal products has dramatically reduced and become almost obsolete.  This means that around 300,000 baby Harp Seals were saved this year and in the past four years over one million have been spared. (Figures taken from HSUS)

Even more good news is that Canadian Senator Mac Harb, last month, introduced legislation in the Canadian Senate to end the commercial slaughter and the bill was unanimously approved to pass for second reading.

Before we get too comfortable we must remember that Harp Seals are still being slaughtered, this year the Canadian government authorised sealers to club and shoot 400,000 seals.  

Mac Harb's critical legislation is still up for debate so we need to convince the Canadian Senate to support this lifesaving bill and end the horrendously cruel seal slaughter for good.  Please spare a moment to click here and show your support.

Fluffy Friday #60

Are you a cat or a dog person?  

I can never answer this question myself as I am truly both.  I love Rusty and Suki dearly and find cats and dogs extremely interesting in different ways.  I've noticed that I talk a lot about Suki, and dogs in general on here so think it is time to made way for some felines, starting with this weeks Fluffy Friday.  There are a lot of dog related campaigns running at the moment which I will still be blogging about, however, I promise to try and placate you many cat lovers out there with some kitty love!

All of these photos were taken by me a few years ago on holiday in Greece, where the streets are littered with stray cats.  There is a fantastic animal rescue working hard to help the stray populations of cats and dogs, please check out their webpage here.  I would certainly have loved to take all of these beautiful cats home with me.

If you like these pictures and want to take a look at some of my other work please check out my new blog Captured Moments, you may catch a glimpse of Suki and Rusty.

Happy Friday!

Welsh dog breeding legislation contains serious flaws

Source

The good news is that the Welsh Government is working on a new law addressing dog breeding legalisation in Wales, (I say good although I would prefer if puppy farms were shut down and made illegal - therefore this is slightly better than nothing).  The bad news, is that they aren't shutting puppy farms down and their proposals contain some serious flaws.  

There are specifically four areas causing concern to campaigners, which include how long puppies will get to socialise each day.  All responsible dog owners will know that socialisation is a very important requirement for a young puppy in order for them to grow up able to socialise with humans and other dogs in a healthy manner, if a dog does not experience this socialisation as a puppy it could lead to disaster in later life.  

There is also concern for the proposed staff/dog ratios not being enough with the Government considering 30 dogs per one member of staff, Welsh campaigners Cariad have stated that this means dogs will only receive 10 minutes of care per day and want the number lowered to 20 dogs per member of staff.  Cariad also state that Wales is the British capital for volume puppy breeding with many puppy farms operating without a licence.

  

If you live in Wales please click here to send a message to the Welsh Government about how they can give puppies and dogs a fairer deal.  The deadline for this is in just a few days time, as the consultation ends on Wednesday 23rd May.  If you don't live in Wales but know someone who does, please let them know about this.  (I don't live in Wales but sent the message anyway!)

If you live in England you can help by taking action against irresponsible dog ownership, get involved here.  Please try to take the time to personalise the message a little before sending it.

Please join Cariad, who are tirelessly campaigning to end puppy farming in Wales, and lend your support by printing off, filling in and posting this postcard to John Griffiths, the Minister for Environment & Sustainable Development.

Lunch Time Links #20

 

Can you believe that we are half way through May already?  We are also half way through another day and another working week so put your feet up and check out Lunch Time Links...

They are still slaughtering Whales in Iceland, help stop it by clicking here.

Help the sad animals at Lagoon Amusement Park

Urge the Attorney General to investigate unlawful pigeon races.