New awakening for animal welfare?: Will 2012 offer better news on the animal welfare front? Melanie Coy’s blog entry from Tuesday for the Southeast Missourian is hopeful.
Coy writes: “There seems to be a new awakening of humanity in this New Year. 2012 promises to hold positive change for all facets of animal welfare.” – I hope she’s right.
And – “Awareness just may be the new battle cry for this brand new year. Awareness, responsibility and education will be our greatest tools to fight the ignorance that plagues man’s best friend.” – What a great message of hope.
She is also pushing for ban on the use of gas chambers in Missouri’s shelters.
Man sentenced for videotaping acts of animal cruelty: An Illinois man has been sentenced to five years and nine months for shooting videos of his dog attacking other animals and then posting the videos on YouTube. He was also charged with drug offenses.
Prosecutors also alleged that he involved his child and other stepchildren in producing the videos.
Maryland man receives No Kill Advocacy Center award: Peter Masloch of Cumberland, Md. has been honored by the No Kill Advocacy Center with the Henry Bergh Leadership Award.
The Cumberland Times-News reports he received the award for his “unwavering commitment to ending the systematic killing of animals in shelters.”
The award is named for a “19th-century animal advocate who launched the movement for humane treatment of animals in North America.”
154,082 signatures collected in effort to ban dog auctions in Ohio: Volunteers working for the Coalition to Ban Ohio Dog Auctions have been working tirelessly for many months in an effort to collect enough signatures to force a ballot measure in the state for 2012.
Opposing Views reports 154,082 signatures have been collected on petitions to date.
A quote is included in the article from Coalition to Ban Ohio Dog Auctions – “The Coalition to Ban Ohio Dog Auctions remains steadfast in its commitment to send a strong message to state legislators that dog auctions serve as a major distribution channel for buyers and sellers from 15 states, many of whom have long standing repeated violations of the Animal Welfare Act and/or have been convicted of animal cruelty.”
It is also noted that “a minimum of 115,570 signatures (67%) must certified by the Secretary of State (expected by January 6.)” This would set in motion the Ohio Dog Auctions Act for the 2012 legislative session. If the legislature fails to act on the bill for four months, the plan is to take steps to put the measure on the ballot for the November election.
Dog auctions are what I call the evil siblings to puppy mills.