Tag Archives: Wolves

Westminster Kennel Club spokesman just admitted breeds are mixed to create new breeds

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The spokesperson for the Westminster Kennel Club just admitted on the Today Show that the new breeds for this year’s dog show are nothing more than a product of mixing breeds together.

So what does that make the dogs? Say it with me …. “mixed breeds” or “mutts.”

Of course the club would never put the system in these terms, although it is factually correct. And of course all breeds have resulted from mixing different dogs together to come up the physical appearance of the current breeds. The process might have started years ago – even thousands of years ago for particular breeds, but the breeds of dog that Westminster and other kennel clubs promote are nothing more than wolf-hybrids.

All dogs are wolf-mutts.

The shows and the kennel clubs and their promotions are actually nothing more than a promotional system to drive the price of puppies. They want people to watch the shows and follow groups like the AKC to popularize the breeds and promote the purchasing of more puppies.

Don’t fall for it. The shelter dog is worth just as much. In fact, the shelter dogs are in many cases the survivors of a horrible breeding system. The breed standards are actually detrimental to dogs.

I’ll have more on this soon. And also coming right up will be my take on the new greyhound racing report from GREY 2K and the ASPCA. There’s a lot of animal welfare news flooding cyberspace and the airways out right now.

PACK MENTALITY BLOG: Compassion - teamed with Science and Logic

All things are connected – and here’s how it works

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Matt Orr’s recent post on the Up Worthy website called the success of the reintroduction of wolves into the Yellowstone National Park = “One of the most exciting scientific findings of the last 50 years …”

Wolves were reintroduced into Yellowstone Park in 1995 and the results have been a resounding success. The results also offer solid proof of the interconnectivity of nature.

From the impacts on the population of deer in the park to their behavior changes to the regeneration of some of the forest areas to the good news for songbirds and beavers to muskrats, ducks, otters, fish to bald eagles and bears.

When nature is allowed to do its thing – without the negative impacts that some people and entities inflict on the environment – then beautiful things can happen.

PACK MENTALITY BLOG: Compassion - teamed with Science and Logic

Wildlife killing contest could move forward

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Defenders of Wildlife and the Center for Biological Diversity are sending out alerts related to a proposed wildlife killing contest on federal lands.

A lawsuit and letter campaign was launched back in November by the Center for Biological Diversity and other groups. The Bureau of Land Management pulled a permit to hold the contest in Idaho.

The targets are wolves, coyotes and other animals. And now the hunting group wants to move the contest to national forests for January.

This is not “wildlife management.” This is an excuse to have a killing spree.

The CFBD page is HERE. Defenders of Wildlife has a page set up to send comments to Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack.

PACK MENTALITY BLOG: Compassion - teamed with Science and Logic

Defenders of Wildlife: Backlash prompts Animal Planet to pull anti-wolf episode

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Defenders of Wildlife sent out the following press release concerning the cancellation of an episode from Animal Planet’s Monster Week.

Public Outcry Prompts Animal Planet to Remove “Man-Eating Super Wolves” Show

WASHINGTON –Animal Planet removed a segment titled “Man- Eating Super Wolves” from its Monster Week line up this week after over 80,000 Defenders of Wildlife members and other activists contacted the station demanding the episode be immediately removed from the air.

The shameful and distorted anti-wolf episode was aired one time on Wednesday, May 21, and while Animal Planet claims the show was always intended to air only once, various TV schedules showed that “Man- Eating Super Wolves” had subsequent scheduled air times for Sunday, May 25; Tuesday, May 27; and Wednesday, May 28. These show times have now been miraculously removed from Animal Planet’s schedule.

Defenders of Wildlife President and CEO Jamie Rappaport Clark issued the following statement:

“There are real-world consequences to airing a fictitious portrayal of wolves based on sensationalism instead of on science. Demonizing wolves does serious harm to these imperiled animals and erodes public support for their continued recovery.

“We’re glad to see that Animal Planet dropped this show from its schedule and are proud that our members spoke out so forcefully on this important topic”

PACK MENTALITY BLOG: Compassion - teamed with Science and Logic

USFWS puts the brakes on wolf delisting proposal

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At least for now, the US Fish and Wildlife Service has halted a peer-review process for removing wolves from the Endangered Species List.

Defenders of Wildlife reports 16 respected scientists were barred from advising on the proposal. An email I received today includes a statement from Jamie Rappaport Clark, president of Defenders of Wildlife:

 “While we still disagree on the merits of this premature delisting proposal, at least the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service understands the magnitude of the issue. It’s a relief that the Service has listened to the voices of wildlife supporters nationwide who have called the integrity of their peer review process into question. Cherry-picking scientists is not a good way to do business. To ensure impartiality and scientific integrity, we recommend that the Service turn the peer review over to the National Academy of Sciences instead of trying to manage the process itself. Either way, we look forward to a fair peer review of the science behind this ill-advised delisting proposal, and we hope the Service turns to the best experts in the field regardless of whether they have written letters about the use of their science in the proposal.”

How in the world is it that scientists were going to be banned from a panel that was set to evaluate the delisting of gray wolves nationwide? It is a growing problem in this country, where a growing effort is working against science education and science in general.

Too often, pure greed is behind the movement to block science and the movement to block protections for animals.

 

PACK MENTALITY BLOG: Compassion - teamed with Science and Logic

Video: Defenders of Wildlife is defending wolves

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Removing wolves from endangered-species protections is a horrible idea. When will the people pushing for this sort of action understand manipulating nature and wildlife in this way never has a good outcome.

Wildlife management should be run by scientists who truly understand the natural world. It should not be run by those with simplistic views or with profit motives in mind.

PACK MENTALITY BLOG: Compassion - teamed with Science and Logic

Members of Federal Wildlife Services routinely engaged in acts of animal cruelty

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A Fox News story published Tuesday reports on routine acts of animal cruelty, by individuals working in the USDA’s Wildlife Services department. One person quoted in the article explains it is part of the job to have dogs attack wolves held in leg-hold traps.

Thankfully, two US Congressman – Rep. John Campbell (R-Calif.) and Rep. Peter Defazio (D-Ore.) are speaking out against these acts of torture to animals.

Agriculture Secretary Thomas Vilsack was quoted in response to the reports:

USDA does not condone any form of animal cruelty and holds all employees responsible for adhering to Departmental and Agency standards and directives.

If Vilsack is true to his words, he will immediately ban the use of leg-hold traps and of course ban the use of dogs to attack wolves. And he should realize that there is a balance of nature to be addressed and killing off segments of the chain of life is no way to oversee ecosystems.

Living with Wolves special airs on TV tonight – and online

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An investigative report about wolves – within Link TV’s Earth Focus series – will air tonight on the network and online at www.linktv.org/earthfocus. The Link TV premier is set for 9:30 p.m. PT (March 11) – or 12:30 a.m. ET. And it will run again at 9 p.m. ET Thursday (March 14).
I am not sure of the direction of the show, as I have not seen it. But hopefully we’ll see information that will educate the viewing audience to the need for protections for these great animals.

The press release from LINK TV:

“” “”

The future of the gray wolf is uncertain. The polarized debate over killing wolves and the search for a middle ground is the subject of a new investigative TV special Shades of Gray: Living with Wolves, produced by Link TV’s environmental news magazine Earth Focus.

Earth Focus travels to Montana and Wyoming to gauge the views of ranchers, hunters, scientists, taxidermists, conservationists and a former Governor of Montana. It explores the complex middle ground of hard truths and innovative solutions in the polarized battle over the place of wolves in the American West. The program is produced by Earth Focus, in collaboration with the Ecologist Film Unit in the UK.

Gray wolves once ranged across North America. But by the 1930s, they were nearly extinct — trapped, poisoned and hunted by ranchers, farmers and government agents. With protection under the 1973 Endangered Species Act, the wolf population rebounded. But when wolves lost federal protection in 2011 and wolf management became an issue for the states to decide, hunting was again permitted in many areas. Recently trapping and snaring were also allowed in some states, leading many to question the fate of this once endangered species.

Continue reading →

The Westminster Wolf-Hybrid Show

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An Associated Press story about the Westminster Kennel Club Dog Show offered some interesting information about one of the two new “breeds” introduced this year – the Treeing Walker Hound.

The article notes this hound was “developed from” the Walker Foxhound Virginia Hounds and English Foxhounds. So what does this make the Treeing Walker Hound? – Yes, it’s a mixed-breed dog – a mutt. But of course, all of the dogs in this show and all other dog shows are the result of cross-breeding – some going back thousands of years. And again, their common ancestors are wolves.

I’m not slamming particular breeds of dogs. I love them all. My wife and I have rescued bassets and greyhounds and labs and mutts. But the promotion of dog breeds by shows and kennel clubs is actually just that – promotion and marketing.

Okay, it’s interesting and the dogs look great. But they’re all wolf hybrids.