Photo Credit: Emerald City American Bulldogs animalpetitions.org
Tiffany White
Target: Kristen Donmoyer, Director of Pennsylvania Bureau of Dog Law Enforcement
Goal: Investigate licensing of shelter that allegedly neglects and mishandles animals under its care.
Protests mounted, drawing national attention, as the planned death date of a Pennsylvania shelter dog neared. Community members, current and former volunteers at the Humane Society of Harrisburg, and even lawmakers urged the society to reverse its decision to euthanize Pursuit, its longest-standing canine. As the hour drew closer, word emerged that a volunteer had removed Pursuit from the shelter. A theft complaint was reportedly filed by the humane society a short time later. In the end, this animal’s life was saved, but his plight highlights what employees apparently say are still-lingering problems within the shelter.
Manatees in Florida are dying off at record rates. More than 20% of the manatees—close to 2,000—have perished in the past two years.
More than 740 manatees died just last year, following a catastrophic 2021 for these gentle giants, when more than 1,100 perished.
These animals are starving to death due to loss of seagrass, and swimming through some of the worst pollution they’ve ever known.
Manatees are currently listed as “threatened,” but it’s clear they urgently need the full power of the Endangered Species Act.
Tell the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service to uplist Florida’s manatees to “endangered” to guarantee their survival.
By Catrin Einhorn
June 23, 2022
Updated 12:43 p.m. ET
The Biden administration is throwing out the definition of “habitat” for endangered animals, returning to an understanding that existed before the government under President Donald J. Trump shrank the areas that could be protected for animals under threat of extinction.
By striking a single sentence from the regulations, the United States Fish and Wildlife Service and National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration Fisheries could once again protect a “critical habitat” even if it had become unsuitable because of development or other changes but could be restored.
Over 350 dogs are getting a second chance after police and animal activists intercepted a truck carrying the canines to China’s Yulin Dog Meat Festival.
According to Humane Society International (HSI), several days before the 2022 Yulin Dog Meat Festival started on June 21, police and animal activists in Shaanxi, China, intercepted a truck filled with canines heading to Yulin.
KANSAS CITY, Kansas (CNN) — Sixteen rescued dogs are recovering at Kansas City, Kansas (KCK) Animal Services. Rescuers say the dogs were freed from horrific conditions after they were abandoned to live alone in the woods.
KCK Animal Services Director Ashley Scott said the dogs are adjusting remarkably well and will soon be available for adoption.
“All these guys were on heavy thick chains,” Scott said. “They do have wounds from those heavy chains and collars because they were on so tight.”
While executing a search warrant, investigators discovered the 16 dogs. KCK Animal Services brought the dogs to a shelter to be assessed and treated.
“We knew that we could not leave these guys behind. There is no way these animals were getting adequate shelter,” Scott said. “The dog houses were falling apart. They were standing in several inches of mud and water. They had no food and no water.”
Rescuers hiked and used ATVs to bring the dogs out of the woods safely.
“We had to hike the rest of the way by foot. It was too muddy for a military grade ATV to get to,” Scott said. “I would say it was about a quarter mile into the woods. We were able to take one dog at a time.”
Scott said once the dogs are spayed or neutered, they will be ready to find new homes.
“They were so happy to be out of that environment. They’ve given nothing but love to us so far,” Scott said. “They are all very sweet and very gentle even with other animals.”
Friends of KCK Animal Services are collecting donations for medical care for the rescued dogs.
“This is why I do what I do. We can take an animal living in those conditions with no love, and they are resilient and forgiving even when they shouldn’t be,” Scott said. “We can try to give them the best life that they should have always had.”
The DeSoto County Sheriff’s Office said the investigation into the puppy mill could lead to more charges for Romano and Polk.
Because of this, no further information can be released on the case, including information on specific dogs and the adoption process, the DeSoto County Sheriff’s Office said.
The dogs are being cared for at DeSoto Animal Control but are in need of a few items.
If anyone would like to make donations, they can be sent to:
DeSoto County Animal Control
2048 NE McKay Street
Arcadia, FL 34266
The owner of 3 missing zebras faces animal cruelty charges. One caught in a snare died, while another in the herd has died in PG County
By Kristin Danley-Greiner, Patch Staff.
PRINCE GEORGE’S COUNTY, MD — Two zebras remain on the lam in Prince George’s County and their owner now faces three counts of animal cruelty. A third zebra originally on the loose was caught in a snare and died from its injuries mere feet from an enclosure where the herd of 36 zebras is kept.
Snare traps are illegal in Prince George’s County and the animal’s death is being investigated. Initially, it was reported that five zebras had escaped, but authorities later said only three originally escaped from the farm. All charges are related to the zebras at large.
Prosecutors say Jerry Lee Holly, 76, the owner of the exotic animal farm where the zebras lived, did not provide proper care and sustenance to his zebras, according to charging documents.
An investigator with the Maryland Department of Natural Resources said in charging documents that “the animal should have been seen or heard while it was dying from being caught in the snare if the caretaker had attended to the zebras in the fenced enclosure.”
Kitty Block, 56, is president and chief executive of the Humane Society of the United States and CEO of Humane Society International, an affiliate. Trained as a lawyer, Block has spent decades advocating on behalf of animal welfare, domestically and around the world.
I have been debating whether or not to share this news with everyone. It breaks my heart that our Government in the state of Pennsylvania is heartless.
To Representatives, Senators and Lt Governor,I have attached the following document for you to look over. With the hopes that you will come to a logical and fair decision.The document contains over 850 signatures requesting that Pennsylvania, follow suit with New York, and outlaw the barbarity that is cat declawing.I am also including the link to the petition, https://www.change.org/p/pennsylvania-governor-outlaw-the-declawing-of-cats Declawing of cats has been a part of managing the scratching behavior of objects in cats. However, this barbaric tradition to protect ”items” and other material possession has caused more harm than good. Declawing cats has left them physically and mentally scarred for life. We sit here on the precipice of destroying our beloved companions just to protect a few pieces of furniture or walls. All of which can easily be replaced, repaired and or protected by other humane ways.
Declawing of cats should never be an option. Scratching objects and or trees is a natural instinct for cats. The Medical drawbacks to declawing include pain in the paw, infection, tissue necrosis (tissue death), lameness, and back pain. Removing claws changes the way a cat’s foot meets the ground and can cause pain similar to wearing an uncomfortable pair of shoes.
Those who declaw their cats are basically torturing cats for a lifetime. Some cats, even big cats in zoos go through life never placing full weight on paws, some even developed a mental disorder. Leading them to constantly lick and or shake their paw uncontrollably.
Not to mention if cats should escape outside how would they ever defend themselves against other cats or wildlife? They wouldn’t and due to that inability to defend or climb a tree, they would most likely die.
Why declaw when There are many alternatives to declawing that doesn’t leave a hazardous effect. Such as having professional clip nails as they do for dogs. Nail caps that can be adjusted to their size. And then there is double-sided tape to protect walls and door frames. Bumpers to protect furniture and non-toxic apple bitter to deter them from scratching up surfaces.
There’s also an environmentally friendly cat tree. Made of hemp, cardboard, dead tree bark and sea rope. All of which is biodegradable and reusable.
Declawing should be nonexistent, it should be considered animal cruelty and punishable if done/practiced by any person. I thank you for your time and understanding.
Regards Mrs. Mary Robbins
Their Response
The fact that it took them 6 months is appalling. Don’t even get me started on meetings. This is a blanket statement and a complete letdown. If the state of Pennsylvania refuses to hear their people then it’s time to go over heads.
I don’t trust the Secretary of Muth. If Muth was so involved with animal welfare there would be a TNR program in place. There would be NO-Kill shelters and there would be no open door policy shelters either.
There are now over 3,000 signatures plenty to get the ball rolling with the upper legislation via the POTUS/House/Senate legislation. I will continue to push this issue.
Guardians Of Life 
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