Keep your cat(s) indoors!

Always keep your cat(s) indoors. It is so much better for your pet and also better for the birds and small wildlife in your area. A horrendous number of songbirds are slaughtered by cats each year. It has become an enormous problem as more people acquire cats as pets and let them roam. Think of our beautiful feathered friends and keep them safe. Also, roaming outdoors subjects your cat to all sorts of dangers. So many pets are hit and injured or killed on the roads. Also, fights with other animals can seriously injure or kill your cat. When bitten by another feline, the wound will almost certainly abscess, requiring expensive treatment. Cat bites are more prone to abscess than dog bites. Hopefully, you have spayed/neutered your cat. Both females and males roaming looking for mates causes them to be hit and exposes them to other dangers. Also, kittens younger than eight weeks are the number one animal euthanized in shelters, as before they are weaned, extensive care to required to bottle-feed and otherwise care for them and many shelters lack the manpower to do this. So, please have an indoor kitty to ensure a long, healthy life!

Las Vegas Shooting Spree

Once again, a tragedy has taken place when on Sunday, June 8, 2014, two people, a husband and wife, opened fire on two Las Vegas police officers as they were eating lunch in a pizza place.  They then went across the street to a WalMart and shot and killed an innocent bystander.

There is a wealth of news detailing the events of this horrendous crime, but it is a sad commentary on the state of things in the U.S.A. when every few days there is another mass shooting.

Just last week, a gunman went on a rampage at a Christian university in Seattle, Washington.  One 19-year old man was killed and several were injured.  A student monitor disarmed the gunman as he was reloading his shotgun by spraying him with pepper spray, then, with the help of other students, tackling him.

As I wrote in my last post, there was a massacre near U.C. Santa Barbara about two weeks ago, where six were killed and the perpetrator killed himself, as did the husband and wife who committed the Las Vegas murders.

I call this blog "A Humane Life", as I love animals and feel for them.  There is so much cruelty against the most innocent of creation.  Child abuse, animal cruelty, you name it, it happens all too frequently.

In the Vegas rampage, the victim at WalMart, a 31-year-old man, was carrying a concealed weapon.  He spotted the male suspect and confronted him, but did not see the female suspect, who was behind him.  Before he could use his weapon to neutralize the male, she shot and killed him.

The gun debate rages on, and I do not like guns for the havoc they cause.  Innocent humans and innocent animals fall victim to firearms.  However, ordinary citizens must have the right to own guns, because when all weapons are only in the government's hands, it can lead to totalitarianism.

The Vegas suspects held extreme anti-government views, and also were allegedly meth users.  They also supposedly were part of the "militia" that descended on the Bundy ranch to face-off with the BLM.  Bundy evidently thinks he has the right to graze his cattle on public lands without paying the ridiculously low fees to the BLM.  We have far too many extremists on the loose in the U.S. today.

The accessibility of weapons in the U.S. has become so easy that even felons (the male suspect was a convicted felon) and the mentally ill can obtain them easily.  Law-abiding citizens who pass a background check can and do buy and possess guns.  I am in favor of more comprehensive background checks, but I think guns are far too easy to get illegally.  Even with enhanced checks to attempt to keep weapons out of the hands of those who pose a danger to society, these individuals will find a way to obtain them illegally.

This afternoon, a convicted felon led police on a high-speed pursuit over several Los Angeles area freeways.  As he drove, he stuck a high-powered assault rifle out of his car window.  As I write this, police are looking for shell casings on the freeway, as the pursuing officers believe he actually shot at them.  After exiting his vehicle and running through a North Hollywood neighborhood, the suspect entered a house (luckily no one was home).  After several hours, tear gas was lobbed into the residence and the suspect surrendered, with no one being injured.  It could have been a much different story, however. 

Guns, even assault rifles, are easy to get, even by those prohibited from owning them because of felony convictions. 

Enhanced background checks are a good idea, but I'm not naïve enough to think it will really stop the Sandyhooks, U.C.S.B.'s, Columbines, Virginia Tech's, and so many more unspeakable tragedies.

Anti-government extremists are a clear danger to our way of life.  Every civilized nation must have a functioning government.  All of us don't like certain things our government does, but we let our views be known at the polls.  Also, these anti-government types would be the first ones to call the police or sheriff's department if their own life or their family's life was in danger. 

The U.S. is going down a terrible, scary path.  Also, statistics show that those who perpetuate cruelty against animals are more likely to perpetuate cruelty against human beings.

Very sad indeed.

Tragedy in California: Mass murder near UCSB

There has been another horrible tragedy involving a mass murderer.  On Friday evening, May 23, 2014, suspect Elliot Rodger, age 22, went on a rampage in the college village of Isla Vista, near the campus of the University of California-Santa Barbara.  He killed two sorority sisters, wounded a third, then killed Chris Martinez at a village deli.  He apparently took his own life when confronted by police.

After the shooting, his apartment was searched and it was discovered that he had allegedly stabbed three young men to death there.  All victims were UCSB students.

The suspect posted many videos and also had written a rambling manifesto that was discovered after the crime, and was clearly seriously disturbed.

Why am I mentioning this unspeakable event?  Because this type of mass murder has become much too common in the United States.  Rodger owned three high-powered hand guns which he had purchased legally.  He also had 400 rounds of ammunition in his car.

Sadly, we in the U.S. have seen this happen frequently in recent years.  We have seen Columbine, Virginia Tech, Sandyhook, the mass shooting at a hair salon in Seal Beach, California, where eight people were killed, and several rampages on military bases. 

It seems that what once was a peace-loving nation has evolved into a country where so many have so little regard for life.  There is easy access to weapons, and even if common-sense gun control measures are passed (which I am in favor of), it is likely that criminals and the mentally ill will still be able to buy guns illegally.

I feel for all the victims of these heinous acts and their families.  Nothing can ever bring their loved ones back home.  We, as a nation, however, need to act to at lease attempt to curb this horrible violence.

I don't know about individual cases, but generally, statistics show that people who perpetuate violence again human beings often started by abusing animals.

Although we have more humane laws today then we had, say, when I was a child, I do not recall even a fraction of the cruelty being perpetuated in the sixties as today.

What is so disturbing to me is that there has been an upsurge in blood sports, e.g., hunting among women and young girls.  I never remember hearing of any female hunters when I was young, it was horrible enough that men participated.

Our country is going down the wrong path-wanton violence against any and all members of society, and also, flaunting of laws and not accepting moral responsibility for the welfare of humans and/or animals.

Here is what I find so disturbing:  Factory farms, with all their inherent cruelty (unheard of fifty years ago); hunting, with bow-hunting being even more gut-wrenching than hunting with guns (although both turn my stomach); exotic foods (a restaurant in Orange County, California was serving lion); rampant poaching (even of majestic redwood trees in California!); flaunting of rules, regulations and laws (we all have read of Cliven Bundy, who thinks it is his right to graze his cattle on public lands and not pay a dime for the privilege).  The list goes on and on.  Oh, and we are not along, what about the zoo in Denmark who has a penchant for slaughtering healthy animals.

We all need to wake up and give our best efforts to curbing all violence, wherever and however it rears its ugly head.  Give what you can afford to the organization of your choice, whether it is MADD, a political candidate that shares your views, a children's hospital, or an animals welfare organization.

Vote and make it count.  I research candidate's voting record on animal welfare and environmental issues before I make my decision.  Each of us only has one vote, so make it count!

It would be wonderful if we could keep weapons out of the hands of those who should not own them. A daunting task, for sure, and it will never be 100% successful, as guns are, sadly, everywhere, but we can try. 

If more tragedies like the one in California on Friday can in any way be avoided, it will be worth every ounce of effort put into it!

Merry Christmas to All!

Tonight is Christmas Eve, and tomorrow Christians everywhere will be celebrating the birth of Jesus Christ, perhaps the most profound event in human history.

I think it is worth noting that we should remember all of God's creation on Christmas, and all year long.  The love that Christ brought to the world should continue each and every day toward not only our fellow human beings, but to all the glorious life around us.

Mary and Joseph travelled to Bethlehem and sought shelter, and found no room at the inn.  Most Christians, as well as most people of other religions are familiar with this Christmas story. 

I feel that animals are included in this wonderful saga for a reason.  Mary rode a donkey on the trip to Bethlehem.  Since the birth of Christ was very near, this little donkey needed to be very gentle and steady in order to not injure Mary.  Legend has it that because of the donkey's great service to Mary and Joseph, God marked him with a cross.  If you look at a donkey today, you will see the stripe down his (or her) back and the stripe that also goes across the withers, forming a cross-like marking.

God could have had the birth of His Son occur anywhere, but instead of in a palace or other place designating great wealth, Christ was born in a manger.  The Gospels tell us that there were various animals stabled there - cows, donkeys and sheep.  Poor shepherds witnessed the bright star that led them to the manger, as did the three kings, who travelled a great distance by Camel to pay homage to the Christ Child and give him gifts.  Therefore, people of all social classes were included in the miraculous birth.

These animals seemed to sense the enormity of the event, as they were quiet and did not disturb the sleeping baby Jesus.  I feel that this demonstrates the underlying spirituality of all creatures - they have an innate knowledge of their Creator, and have a mystery about them that is hard for some human beings to understand.

I hope and pray that 2014 brings more victories for animals, from farm animals to pets, to wildlife and ocean life.  Cruelty still runs rampant  all over the globe, and good people must continually work together to bring about change so that all of creation can at last be free to live free from abuse and exploitation by those who do not recognize their intrinsic worth.

DiGiorno Pizza Cheese Supplier Cow Abuse

Yesterday, I viewed an undercover video published by Mercy for Animals which showed flagrant and upsetting abuse of dairy cows at a Wisconsin dairy that supplies cheese to DeGiorno for use in their frozen pizzas.

Hopefully, DiGiorno will remove this dairy from their supply chain.  Videos such as this one highlight the rampant abuse present in some dairies.  These gentle, helpless creatures were kicked, stabbed, cursed, hit about the face and body and the downed animals were lifted on a "cow lift" by various parts of their bodies.  One cow was pitifully "mooing" as she was being lifted.

Also, these poor Holsteins were slipping on the manure-covered surface they were non.  This, of course, leads to foot and leg problems.  Once a cow cannot stand and move on her own, her life is over.  Cows raised in clean, humane conditions can have a life span of 25 years, but from what I have read, the average lifespan of today's dairy cow on a factory farm is four to five years before she is physically spent from producing a cow each year and producing an unnaturally large amount of milk.

Milk production per cow has dramatically increased in the last thirty years.  The most recent figures I can find show many dairy cows produce an average of about 20,000 lbs. of milk per year.  This is far more than would be produced naturally, e.g., if human intervention had not "tweeked" these animals to produce an unsustainable amount of milk.  Cows naturally produce enough milk to feed their offspring.  In commercial dairies, a cow's calf is removed from her almost immediately after birth so that her milk can be used for human consumption.

Female calves (heifers) are often retained as replacements for cows who can no longer produce, are sick or injured or die from other causes.  Male calves are sold as veal or raised for beef.  They are what is called a "by-product" of the dairy industry.  Thankfully, California has outlawed the use of veal crates a few years ago.  The old crates can still be seen stacked up by the roadside at dairies that are about a 20 minute drive from my home.  California also outlawed tail-docking of dairy cows.

When I was growing up in a Los Angeles suburb, we still had one dairy in my community very close to my family home.  I never saw a cow with a docked tail in California and that dairy didn't have a large number of cows and they were kept in good conditions.  I believe with the advent of the factory farm, everything has gone downhill.

It is very important that all of us fight proposed "ag-gag" laws which would make it a criminal offense to enter a farm or dairy and film the activities.  These undercover videos are sometimes the only means to document horrendous abuse.

Please contact your U.S. Representatives and U.S. Senators and ask them to vote "no" on any "ag-gag" bills.  My California Representative and Senators Diane Feinstein and Barbara Boxer are always very receptive to animal welfare issues.

Defeat the Farm Bill Containing the King Amendment

I would like to urge everyone to contact their representative in the House and their State Senators and ask them to vote "no" on the Farm Bill containing the King Amendment.

This amendment would strip states ability to enact their own animal welfare laws and to pass legislation outlawing "ag-gag" laws, which would hamstring the ability of undercover investigators to "blow the whistle" on factory farming and other operations who treat animals inhumanely.

This amendment is sponsored by Iowa Republican Steve King, and would, among other unsavory things, pave the way for horse slaughter to resume in the U.S.  The last horse slaughter plant was closed in 2007, much to the relief of those of us who love these magnificent animals.

Please don't confuse Steve King with Representative Peter King of New York, who is also a Republican.

I just read the latest news on the Farm Bill/King Amendment and there is "hope" that it come together, after some tweaking, at the end of this month (October).

My congressional representative, Raul Ruiz, M.D. has already once voted against the Farm Bill.  I had Emailed his office through the Humane Society of the United States and I received a reply from Congressman Ruiz, saying that the bill had passed.  Of course, it has the support of many in the farming regions of the country, which include large numbers of factory farming operations.

We, as compassionate individuals, need to contact everyone in government that we can and ask that any Farm Bill that includes the King Amendment be defeated.  Rep. Steve King has consistently been a foe to animals and their welfare.  All animals, everywhere, have the right to humane treatment.

It is very easy to find and contact your House representative by using a search engine (if you don't know who represents your district).  Please also contact your U.S. Senators urging a "no" vote if this bill makes it to the Senate floor.

I am fortunate to be a California native whose U.S. Senators, Diane Feinstein and Barbara Boxer are very environmentally and animal-welfare friendly. 

Current Issues/Running With the Bulls

There are so many things going on that affect animals, both domestic and wild, that I can hardly keep up.  I check websites such as www.hsus.org and others regularly, and it seems there is an unending stream of upsetting events that have a detrimental effect on the animal world. 

I recently spoke of a proposal in Lake Elsinore, California to have a "running of the bulls" similar to that in Spain.  Well, I have seen several news pieces on T.V. addressing this "event" which evidently has been occurring in different parts of the country.  One story showed photos (I don't remember what state it was in, though) of mostly young men running like crazy along side some bulls, who were just trotting along as if they didn't know what all the shouting was about.

A news piece I read said that prior to the "running" there was much eating and drinking, etc.  Well, I don't know what breed the bulls were, but they were horned and seemed very calm.  A man on horseback was kind of riding along behind, keeping the cattle moving.  These bulls acted more like steers.  Oh, on the news they stated that these human runners paid $75.00 and had to pay for an insurance waiver (which I think was another $30.00, not sure) to participate. These animals seemed very used to human contact, so hopefully injuries to both humans and animals will be avoided.

In my opinion, this whole thing is a travesty and should not be allowed.  This is the U.S.A., not Spain, and people should have better things to do.  Eventually, despite any precautions taken, someone will get hurt.  The bulls were not moving very fast (not like they do in Spain), so that fact hopefully will avoid having one or more of them slip and fall. 

I would really like to see these "brave" guys run with a couple of Jersey or Guernsey dairy bulls!  Despite their cute faces, these bulls are known for being among the most aggressive of all bulls.  About ten or twelve years ago, a dairy worker here in SoCal was killed by a bull. Some cows were being moved from one area to another and the bull somehow got loose (I can't remember the whole story) and charged the worker and, sadly, killed him.  Bulls can be dangerous, bottom line.

Unfortunately, the news story said that these events are being scheduled in more cities, among them San Diego, and I think San Francisco(?).  Can't imagine the folks in San Francisco allowing this circus to come to their city.