30 July 2008

RSPCA - UK - Cruelty on the rise

Rise in dog cruelty convictions

Staffordshire bull terrier Saffron
A London couple cut the ears off this dog to make it look more macho

Convictions for cruelty against dogs rose by more than a third last year, the RSPCA has said.

A Staffordshire bull terrier whose owners cut its ears off to make it look more macho is included in the charity's annual cruelty report.

It highlights a 12% increase in all RSPCA cruelty investigations leading to 1,149 convictions.

But new powers introduced in 2007 mean the increase may not represent higher levels of actual cruelty.

Tim Wass, chief officer of the RSPCA Inspectorate, said dogs had always borne the brunt of animal cruelty.

"That's what makes this year's horrendous 34% increase even more shocking: it's a massive increase on an already high figure," he said.

One case highlighted in the report was the 2007 conviction of Abishai Hayes, 22, of Holloway, north London, who admitted torturing his 10-month-old dog.

Full story here ...


29 July 2008

More evidence of human failing


This story from Santa Cruz - USA. Appalling!

38 emaciated dogs taken from house with severed head hanging from tree
By Linda Goldston
Mercury News
Article Launched: 07/28/2008 02:01:50 PM PDT


After a neighbor reported he could hear "animals crying in pain," Santa Cruz County authorities searched the property of a Boulder Creek man Saturday, finding a dog's head hanging from a tree, five dog skulls sitting on a table and 38 severely emaciated live animals.

Inside the house, animal control and sheriff's department investigators found one dog locked in a crate with no food or water and a dog that weighed only half what it should have.

The house "was covered in excrement, urine and debris," said Todd Stosuy, animal control manager. "It was a very disturbing and shocking situation."

Investigators first met with the man on Friday, and he "was under the assumption his animals were being well cared for," Stosuy said. He said the owner of the dogs fled out the back of the house when officers arrived with search warrants Saturday.


Read the full story here ...

16 July 2008

Dogs in the UK, struggling to find homes

A disturbing indication of human intolerance. This story from BBCNEWS. Read the full story here

Struggling to find a dog's house
Dog
The Dogs Trust suggests getting a dog reference from previous landlords

Landlords are in the dog-house with a charity which claims that three in four do not allow pets into properties.

Growing demand for rented homes has led to a rise in the numbers of pets being abandoned or handed over to charities to re-home, said the Dogs Trust.

The charity wants landlords to be more open to allowing tenants to keep dogs.

The Association of Residential Letting Agents (Arla) said it was "broadly supportive" of the Trust but it would struggle to change attitudes.

"Pet owners who need to rent privately are being forced to live in unsuitable properties, or rent with their pets without consent from their landlord," said Dogs Trust chief executive Clarissa Baldwin.

8 July 2008

Care for Dogs new web site launch

Hi everyone, this new site that Care for Dogs have developed is going to be a joy to read.

The current content of the site makes great reading but in due time, volunteers will be posting their own blog posts to that site and enable the day to day stories to come out and let people know what it's like to help dogs.



The site is currently under wraps but will be launched on 1 August 2008.

That's better - I needed a break



It's been 7 months since I have posted to this blog but I can assure you that I am far from finished in my en devours to make a difference to dogs and help Care for Dogs become more widely known, for the tremendous work they have done for 2 years now & will continue to do so into the brighter future.

I say brighter, as after a few visits recently to the shelter in Hang Dong, the atmosphere is one of hope, direction and positive improvement. The residents (in the region of 80) are well cared for in the newly developed and refurbished areas, with an amazingly practical entrance area in place too.


Most of the faces I saw at the shelter last year have now moved on but there were just a couple of familiar grinning muzzles to be found. ET was there, along with Emma & Kachou Daeng, Sonja, Nak, Paul, to name but a few.

Sadly, Sonja & Nak are back in the shelter only quite recently, due to evidence of ill treatment at Wat Doi Kam, with Nak being slashed with a machete and her brother Nik disappearing.

There are a lot of sad stories arising in the intervening months that may never be told but many, many more happy tales, that create that balance of caring for animals living on the edge of society, who are often at risk of harm but somehow manage to survive. The reward from the stories of those who are rescued by Care for Dogs and find new life and new homes with love and friendship make it all worthwhile.

Having blogged here for the year I was previously active with Care for Dogs, I seem to have found a medium in which I can help the Cfd team announce to the world their achievements, share their grief with like hearted souls and bring the world to the shelter through regular personal updates. Unbeknown to me, as I was not active with Cfd at the time, the team recently decided to pursue the idea of revamping the website ( www.carefordogs.org ) and secondly, consider the regular publication across the internet of a "Newsletter". All brilliant stuff but who would have the time to do it? Enter Ally! Well... how could I resist the opportunity.

So, the reason for this post to the allycfd.blog is to say that "I AM BACK!", feels like I never really left. I will be working with Karin & the growing team of volunteers to bring you a new view of CareforDogs.org and try if I can to put a newsletter together and maybe if you are reading this then you may wish to join that mailing list (available soon) through the new site.

The new site - It will have blog inputs from the whole team, along with the usual pages of information, so the view the world can see of Cfd will be lively & dynamic. When it is up & running I will let you know through this circulation listing.

Regarding the listing you are subscribed to here, if you are content with receiving occasional email about my diary then you need to do nothing. If you wish to unsubscribe, then please respond accordingly.

Great to be writing again and I hope readers of this post are keeping happy and healthy.

Ally
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