Are you feeling the autumn chill yet? I am finding Suki's early morning and evening walks quite bracing. This time next week it will be October! Sip some nice warm soup and check out today's links...
Wednesday, 26 September 2012
Thursday, 20 September 2012
Help Australian Sheep
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| Source. |
I am absolutely disgusted to hear of the way millions of sheep in Australia are treated when they are not able to produce enough wool to generate profits for farmers. PETA reports that the sheep are sold for slaughter and forced to travel for weeks on end to the Middle East and North Africa on hot, multi-tiered ships where they endure weeks of misery. If they survive the disgusting conditions on board they then face slaughter.
Back in 2005 PETA US and Australian activists released the results of an undercover investigation which exposed shocking cruelty to sheep. The Australian Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry has insisted that the current regulatory system is working despite the fact that it was animal activists and not government officials that documented the cruelty.
Please sign this petition allowing PETA to continue to expose the horrors of the wool, meat and live export industries and to raise awareness and put pressure on decision makers to make the urgent changes needed to save the lives of animals.
Your signature really will make a difference, PETA and their affiliates have sparked an international outcry and resulted in promises of industry and government reform. A growing number of retailers are moving away from wool from mulesed lambs or have banned it outright.
Wednesday, 19 September 2012
Lunch Time Links #26
Save Spanish Greyhounds
Ban Irish Fur Farms
Stop Animal Cruelty at Marine Land
Save British Bees
Tuesday, 18 September 2012
Groupon Circus Deals
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| Source. |
Groupon ("Group Coupon") is a deal of the day website featuring discounted gift vouchers for national or local companies. I regularly receive e-mails from them and have, on occasion, treated myself or somebody else to a coupon. I was very disappointed when I received an e-mail from PETA informing me that Groupon unfortunately continues to offer deals for cruel circuses across America.
Until Groupon agree to stop promoting circuses featuring animals I am no longer going to purchase any of their coupons and will be telling others to do the same. Although I have no evidence that they offer deals for circuses here in the UK, what's to stop them doing so in the future? Please spare a few moments to click here and fill in a few details and send a message to Groupon urging them to stop promoting animal based circuses.
Thursday, 13 September 2012
Stop the Badger Cull!
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| Image Source: Care for the Wild |
The appeal was unanimously rejected by Lord Justice Law, Lord Justice Rimer and Lord Justice Sullivan.
Patricia Hayden, VC of the Badger Trust told The Guardian "We are very disappointed. We don't know what the next step is, but we will not give up."
The Trust is now deciding whether to take their legal action to the supreme court.
In Wales, a badger vaccination programme is replacing the planned cull which was abandoned following legal challenges and the election of a new political administration. National Trust in Devon and the Wildlife Trust in Gloucestershire is testing the vaccination programme, this is despite the previous Labour government saying an oral badger vaccine would be ready by 2015 and the coalition cancelling five of the six planned trails and declaring a viable oral vaccine as being "years away".
It was reported in the Guardian on Wednesday that activists are threatening to disrupt the badger cull which is due to start this autumn. Volunteers are planning to patrol the cull zones and do their utmost to make it impossible for the trial culls to take place. Other proposals include raves and other music events that will focus attention on the cull thus making it more difficult to carry out. A national rally against the cull was held in Bristol on Tuesday where animal rights activists turned out in force, animal rights campaigner Brain May (guitarist from Queen) spoke at the rally and said: "I think we are all hoping that David Cameron is looking at the possibility of reorganising and delaying the cull while they look more carefully at vaccination. You could kill all the badgers in Britain and it would not stop the problem of bovine TB in cows."
The RSPCA, League Against Cruel Sports, Humane Society International/UK, Save Me and a host of local campaign groups have formed #TeamBadger
Please sign this petition and also join the Stop the Cull Facebook Community. You are also able to quickly e-mail your MP and Tweet David Cameron at the click of a button using!
Brian May and Care for the Wild have set up this e-petition that will just take you a moment to sign please.
Wednesday, 12 September 2012
Puppy Awareness Week!
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| Source: The Kennel Club. |
My apologies for the late notice but for those of you who don't already know we are half way through The Kennel Club's National Puppy Awareness Week!
PAW is running from 8th to 15 September and aims to help ensure that a dog is for life. Dogs all over the country are ending up in rescue homes due to the fact that people are buying the wrong dog for their lifestyle from the wrong breeder. The Kennel Club states that there are 210 breeds of dog as well as many crossbreeds, all have very different needs. Pedigree dogs are bred to have predictable traits and characteristics and by doing some simple research it is easy to find a dog that is best suited to your lifestyle.
KC research has shown that in 2011 as many as one in four people could potentially have bought their puppy from a puppy farm without even knowing. As you already know if you are a regular reader of this blog, puppies on puppy farms are born to overused and abused dogs that are kept in horrendous conditions. Puppy farmers place health and welfare beneath their greed, as far as they are concerned: more puppies = more money.
Beware of puppies advertised in free ads (Gumtree for example), sold over the internet or in pet shops and are collected by buyers from neutral locations such as service stations, or delivered direct. Always ask Where's Mum?
KC encourages people to always go to a member of the Kennel Club Assured Breeder Scheme, members of this scheme are the only breeders in the country who agree to follow high standards for caring for the health and welfare of their pups and who agree to allow a KC inspector access to their premises. If you are looking for a rescue dog, use the Kennel Club Rescue Dog Directory to find a Breed Rescue or another rescue home.
Other recommended rescues include:
The Kennel Club is asking people to:
Show your support for Puppy Awareness Week here by printing off posters, leaflets and stickers and spreading the word.
Tuesday, 11 September 2012
Pup Aid 2012: The Event
After months of waiting, the day of Pup Aid had arrived and the weather couldn't have been better, the sun shone down on the fantastic location of Primrose Hill in North West London.
Not long after we arrived we stumbled upon a great doggy paddling pool which dogs were quickly taking advantage of to cool down. Suki preferred to observe, rather than partake! There was much bottom sniffing and tail wagging as Pup Aid provided the perfect opportunity for our four legged friends to interact whilst us owners compared notes.
We visited stalls such as Lush, Four Paws, Dogs Trust, The Mayhew Animal Home... and had a go at various competitions as well as signing petitions for worthy causes such as animal testing. Myself and my sister treated ourselves to some special Lush Pup Aid soap, it is so pretty to look at I am not sure I want to use it just yet. I was even asked to record a clip for Four Paws' You Tube campaign on Animal Testing, it wasn't as easy as I thought to talk to the camera!
I am proud to announce that Suki came third in the Scruffts Prettiest Bitch competition, the winner of which was a gorgeous little dog that had actually been rescued from a Puppy Farm which was very fitting.
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| Suki showing the judge her party trick. |
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| Suki showing the judge her best angle! |
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| Going to collect Suki's Third Place Rosette, Suki looks back to check that Daddy is coming too! |
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| Well done gorgeous! |
Along with the creator of Pup Aid, TV Vet Marc Abraham, many celebrities turned out to offer their support for the cause; Singer Brian May, Actor and Comedian Ricky Gervais popped in, Pup Aid was opened by Designer Meg Matthews and her daughter Anais, Singer and Actress Sarah Harding, Singer Liam Gallagher and wife Nicole Appleton also attended among others.
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| Image via Cow PR |
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| Image via Cow PR |
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| Image via Cow PR |
There was a fantastic response and the celebrity presence has meant that Pup Aid has been covered by national newspapers which has raised even more awareness!
If you didn't get chance to attend Pup Aid you can still do your bit and help raise awareness by telling everyone you know about Pup Aid and the Where's Mum campaign. Check out the site here and I will do my best to update you.
Monday, 10 September 2012
Born to Suffer - Last Push
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| Source: RSPCA. |
More than 16,000 people have signed RSPCA's petition calling for the breed standards for pedigree dogs to be reviewed in order to prioritise health and welfare above looks (The Animal News 10th January 2012). RSPCA plan to present the final petition numbers to the Kennel Club demonstrating the scale of public support for the breed standards to be reviewed.
Check out the RSPCA's excellent guide to some of the health and welfare problems of 15 popular dog breeds most at risk due to their conformational issues.
If you haven't already, please click here and spare a few moments to add your name to the petition and please ask your friends and family to do the same.
Friday, 7 September 2012
Fluffy Friday #66
It's been quite a while, I'm sorry for my long absence and lack of Friday fun. I hope the following memorable fluffies make up for the delay :) Happy Friday!
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