Animal magazine - Fruitport Blogs

In the life of an
Care guide to caring
for your pet
Animal
10
animal
testing free
companies to
buy from
Minnie’s
heartbreaking
story
How you can
help fight
animal
cruelty
Zoos Uncovered
Would you keep
a lion as pet?
Poaching
threatening
Rhino
population
Adopt a Rhino!
Table of Contents
Animal Testing (Pages 1-2)
* Do you approve or disapprove animal testing for cosmetics or
medical research? (Pg. 1)
* Questions to consider (Pg. 1)
* Types of animals tested (Pg. 2)
* Testing-free companies (Pg. 2)
Animals in the Food Industry (Pages 3-4)
* Think Before You Eat (Pg. 3)
* How Can You Help? (Pg. 3)
* If you knew an animal was being abused in the process of making your food, would you still eat it? (Pg. 4)
* Organization to Look in to (Pg. 4)
Hunting (Pages 5-6)
* Bears (Pg. 5)
* Elephants (Pg. 5)
* Rhinos (Pg. 6)
* Three steps you can take to help (Pg. 6)
House Pets and Emotional Attachment (Pages 7-9)
* Would you feel worse if your favorite pet died or a close friend? (Pg. 7)
* Guide to being a great pet owner (Pg. 7)
* Health Benefits (Pg. 8)
* Social, Emotional, and Physical benefits of dogs (Pg. 8)
* Animal Cruelty (Pg. 9)
* Shelters and Rescue centers (Pg. 9)
Taking Animals out of Their Natural Habitats (Pages 10-11)
* Zoos (Pg. 10)
* Treatment and Rehabilitation (Pg. 10)
* A Lion as a Pet (Pg. 11)
* Exotic Animals on the Prowl (Pg. 11)
Neutering (Page 12)
* Benefits of Neutering (Pg. 12)
* Negative Effects of Neutering (Pg. 12)
* What determines if a pet is neutered/spayed? (Pg. 12)
Table of Contents
Euthanizing (Page 13)
* Is it ethical to euthanize your pet? (Pg. 13)
* The impact of euthanizing a pet on the family (Pg. 13)
Animal Fights (Page 14)
* Problems with Animal Fights (Pg. 14)
* Minnie’s Story (Pg. 14)
* Commonly Used Animals Chart (Pg. 14)
The Fur Trade (Page 15)
* The Ugly Reality of Uggs (Pg. 15)
* Beavers (Pg. 15)
* Chinchillas (Pg. 15)
* Dogs and Cats (Pg. 15)
* Foxes (Pg. 15)
* Rabbits (Pg. 15)
* Bears (Pg. 15)
Deforestation (Page 16)
* Why is deforestation a threat to animals? (Pg. 16)
* How can you help? (Pg. 16)
* Proboscis Monkeys (Pg. 16)
Bibliography (Pages 17-19)
Animal Testing
Do you approve or disapprove animal testing
for cosmetics or medical research?
On March 10th, a survey was
conducted to measure the
opinions of animal testing for
cosmetics and medical research, using 60 random participants. The results can be
seen in the graph below. When
asked if they approved or disapproved animal testing for cosmetics, 54 individuals said that they
disapproved, while only 6 individuals said that they would approve.
However, the numbers were far
closer when the same question was
asked but for medical research instead of cosmetics. 31 people disapproved, while 29 approved. Why
are the numbers so close for medical
research but so far apart for cosmetics? According to Bailli Mammen, one of the surveyors, “Medical
research benefits society more than
research on cosmetics. It’s safer to
risk the lives of a few animals versus
the life of a few human beings before we embark on a new medial
discovery.” Kaytee Walker says, “It’s
kind of ironic that people say they
disapprove but cosmetic testing can
have the same effects as medical
research. Additionally, I don’t know
why the opinions on medical research are so half and half because
we have been using animals such as
mice to do medical research on for
a long time”. According to this research, if the cause is for something
essential to human life and health,
people are
willing to sacrifice the happiness of
animals being tested. Cosmetics differ from medical research in that
most people feel that medical research is far more important and
essential for the human population
than cosmetics. For things such as
cosmetics, many participants believed that there are many other
alternatives for testing the products.
Questions to Consider:
1.Are there other alternatives to testing the
product?
2. Do the benefits outweigh the costs?
3. Do animals deserve to be tortured for human
benefit?
1
Human interaction with animals through experimenting often leads to a short, cruel life for the animal involved. Living in a small living space , animals
are injected with substances that could potentially
kill, disable, or hurt the animal. Many humans
shutter at the thought of taking one annual shot;
however, many of these poor test animals must be
injected with multiple needles weekly or even daily.
The pie chart above represents the percentage of types of animals tested for research. Mice make up the largest percent of
animals tested with a whopping 53%. (Source B) Why are mice
the most popular animals experimented on? According to Remy
Melina, Life's little mysteries staff writer, mice are chosen because
of their ability to adapt, easiness to take care of, quick life span,
and fast reproduction.
According to PETA, the
1. Abercrombie and Fitch
following are animal test- 2. Gourmet Body Treats
ing free companies:
3. Healing Scents
4. Maid Organic
5. platinum skin care
6. Perfect organics
7. Seaside Naturals
8. secret gardens
9. Tova corporation
10. Unicure
2
Animals in the Food Industry
Think Before You Eat
Everyone has enjoyed a grilled
hamburger on a summer night, an
egg with a slice of toast for breakfast, or a juicy piece of steak for a
special occasion, but where do these
foods come from? These products
are made from animals. Most consumers do not give a thought to the
animals that were used for the process of getting their food. However,
the reality of animal treatment in
the food industry is very brutal and
should be a known fact: most animals in the food industry are treated cruelly. Next time you eat that
egg mcmuffin from McDonalds, imagine a chicken stuffed into a cage
with multiple other chickens. Having barely enough room to move,
these chickens are stepped over
and many lay dead on the grounds
of the warehouses. With tattered
wings and broken bones, these
chickens have a drastically decreased life expectancy. According
to the PETA, A healthy hen can live
up to ten years, but slows egg production or completely stops laying
within its second year of life.
Once this happens, the hen is
slaughtered by a careless worker
and discarded. Would this be a
life you would willingly take? Of
course not. However, the sad reality is that animals in the food
industry have no choice in the
matter. They are raised by humans to be killed or used for
products that they do not use
themselves.
Companies that treat their
animals good:
How can you help?
How can you aid in preventing the
cruel torture of animals in the food industry? Some resort to vegetarianism,
but if you are not quite ready to give
up meat, to the right is a list of companies and farms that treat their animals humanely. For additional ways to
help out and more information on the
mission to improve animal treatment,
visit http://certifiedhumane.org.
eggs
3
If you knew an animal was
being abused in the process
of making your food, would
you still eat it?
A
survey was conducted on March 12, 2014 in
which 70 individuals were asked, “If you
knew an animal was being abused in the
process of making your food, would you still
eat it?” 7% of surveyors said absolutely,
28.6% said I would try not to but I probably
still would, 15.7% said maybe, and 48.6% said
no. Although the percentage of people that
said they would not eat the animal was
about half, the amount of people who were
unsure and would still eat the product altogether was 2.7% more. Due to this sad reality, animal cruelty continues. With customers
purchasing meat, eggs,
and other products without consideration
of animal safety, companies continue to
treat animals poorly with little retaliation
from their customers. Jenna Vanderstelt,
one of the individuals surveyed, said that
she would eat the product, even with
knowing that an animal was abused in the
process. Jenna states, “I think that animals
exist to be eaten and turning them into
food requires them to be hurt or harmed.”
But isn't there alternatives to torturing the
animal when preparing the animal to be
made into a food item or when using the
animal to produce a product? Indeed there
are. Companies can treat an animal with
respect with decent living conditions, careful handling, and quality food and water.
“Hurting or harming” the animal can easily
be avoided, and for animals being used for
meat, a fast and easy kill could be substituted for a drawn out slaughtering of the
animal.
Organizations to Look in
to
People for the Ethical
Treatment of Animals
(PETA), Humane Society,
American Humane Association, and the American Society for the Prevention of
Cruelty to Animals
(ASPCA), all share missions
in creating an animal cruelty free food industry and
world. To visit their websites
and get more information
go to: www.aspca.org
www.peta.org
www.humanesociety.org
4
Publication Date
HUNTING
Bears, Elephants, and Rhinos
Bears
Hunting poses a threat to thousands of animal species. Hunting
places multiple animals on the
extinct and endangered list. However, Hunting of animals not only
effects the population of the species, but changes animal habits,
features, and lifestyles. Douglas
Chadwick, National Geographic
Society Correspondent stated,
“Continued harvesting of the biggest animals by trophy hunters
has caused a decline in the average size of Kodiak Bears over the
years". In the article ,The Effects of
Trophy Hunting on Animals, the
Endangered Species Handbook
explains that trophy hunting is
making this species smaller and
smaller. The Kodiak bear is not
the only bear living with drastic
effects from hunting. Due to
hunting, Male Alaskan bears are
rarely seen in comparison the females due to the thinning population. Many Alaskan bears refrain from the Salmon runs which
are their main source of food, in
fear of humans. Additionally, the
killing of the male and female
population leaves bear cubs in
the hands of zoos and other locations who often abuse the cups
and expose them to poor living
conditions.
Elephants
As the hunt for ivory continues, the advancement of several types of elephants on the
endangered list progresses.
Elephants are calm animals
that nearly never do harm, so
why would the human race
hunt down these precious animals? The Endangered Species Handbook provides more
information on the topic and
the answer to this question:
The sad truth is that hunters
seek to sell the ivory for
pocket money. Slaughtering
for ivory is what placed the
bull elephants in Africa on
the endangered list. Hunting
and killing large bull elephants with big tusks has
caused the species to decrease in size and tusks. Due
to this, hunters turn to the
older females, leaving young
elephants without leaders.
Killing the leading females
leaves the young elephants
without authority or direction
to food and water spots, putting the elephants in danger.
Young elephants also face
physiological trauma when
viewing their mothers being
slaughtered by poachers. The
animals lack direction and
remain shy and unable to
defend
themselves. The killing of African elephants is cruel, unwise, and selfish. Many places
have placed laws restricting
the poaching of elephants yet
the activity continues.
5
Rhinos
1. Raise Awareness- As the illegal killing for animals
such as tigers, rhinos, and elephants increases, the
need for awareness to be rise also increases to stop
these actions. You can help by simply spreading the
message on social media sites such as twitter or Facebook.
2. Donate or adopt a Rhino- Making a small donation to WWF aids in the effort to end animal poaching of endangered species around the world. Additionally, you may also consider purchasing a $25 Sumatran Rhino Adoption kit. For more information,
please visit worldwildlife.org.
While elephants are hunted and killed
for their ivory tusks, The think population is killed for their horns. The WWF,
an organization for protecting animal
rights, supplies the sad truth about the
hunting of rhinos: poachers have increased levels of slaughtered rhinos by
3000 percent from 2007 to 2011 alone.
The rapidly decreasing population can
mainly be seen taking plaids in Vietnam where the Vietnamese seek the
rhino horn for grinding the horn into a
powder with other substances, such as
water and alcohol, to increase health,
help cure cancer, and lessen the effects
of hangovers. However, in reality the
mixture has no effect on either. As
poaching continues, the WWF predicts
that 500 rhinos will be killed for their
horns alone. To take an animal’s life
for such a meaningless less reason is a
horrid action to be done. However,
there are steps that you can take to
help stop this cruel poaching of the
rhino population:
3. Refrain from products made with these speciesBy not buying items with ivory, think horns, tiger fur,
or other parts of endangered species, you can help
fire against the cruel killing of the animals for these
products.
The number of rhinos being killed is drastically increasing, as can be seen on the graph.
6
HOUSE PETS AND EMOTIONAL ATTACHMENT
Would you feel worse if your favorite pet
died or a close friend?
Would you feel worse if your favorite pet died or a
close friend? Well after asking this same question to 70
random individuals through a survey, 47.1% said a close
friend, 10 % said a favorite pet, and 42.9% said it
would be the same if either died. With nearly half saying it would be the same; one must conclude that animals value their pets close to in the same level as they
do their own personal friends. Who wouldn't? Animals
provide comfort by being there for you at a rough
time, animals are selfless, animals such as dogs will do
anything to please you, and animals place a smile on
your face. There is no question that there is a certain
degree of emotional attachment between an owner
and their pet. Kaytee Walker, one of the individuals
surveyed, gives feedback on why she chose the “it
would be the same” option, “You have emotional attachment to the pet, its sad when people die to but
some people feel a stronger emotional attachment to
their pets. I had a barn cat, Ky, and I adored him. But
on May 6th, my little sister found him and he was injured with internal bleeding and died two days later. I
cried for a week straight. The saddest part is her didn’t
even get to experience life because he wasn’t even a
year old. I made tributes to him and did a big painting
of him to try to remember. If I could feel that kind of
sadness and emotional attachment to a pet, then I
would probably feel the same way towards a close
friend dying un-expectantly.”
Guide to being a great pet owner
1. Feed your pet nutritious mealsBy simply looking at the
labels on pet food while
shopping, you can ensure
the right nutrients are
going into your pet to
keep them health and
active.
3. Exercise- Allow your
pet the opportunity to
exercise. Simply taking
your pet to the park increases your animal’s
health and allows for a
fun play date between
yourself and your pet.
5. Groom your pet frequently- Pets need
groomed and cleaned to
keep them smelling good
and to help prevent
them from getting sick.
By giving your pet a
bath once or twice every
two weeks, you can ensure that your pet is safe
to be around children
and is odorless.
7. Give your animal loveShowing your animal
that you love them is the
simplest way to decrease
an animal’s anxiety, aggressiveness, and increase
happiness.
2. Veterinarian visits- bring
your pet to visit the veterinarian at least once a year
for an annual checkup. You
can never be too safe when it
comes to your pet’s health.
Additionally, make sure your
pet has all of the shots it requires to stay healthy.
4. Keep your pet leashed in
public- No matter how nice
and trained you believe your
pet is, a leash is always a necessary precaution measure. A
leash prevents the animal
from running into dangers
such as traffic or encounters
with other animals or humans.
6. Give tick and flee treatment when needed- Ticks
and flees are popular peaks
among animals. Treatments
to kill these peaks can be
found at your local pet store
or veterinarian’s office.
8. Neutering/ Spaying- If you
are unprepared to care for
baby animals produced by
your pet, make sure you explore the option of spaying or
neutering your pet.
7
Health Benefits
Pets are great at keeping company when
you are lonely and fun to interact with,
but did you know that having a pet can
increase your health? Jeanie Lerche Davis,
writer for WebMD, says that the presence
of a pet at home lowers blood pressure,
decreases anxiety, strengthens your immune system, and can even win you a
date or two. Additionally, children who
have grown up with pets or on farm with
many animals, have a decreased risk of
allergies and getting asthma according to
pediatrician James E. Gern of the University of Wisconsin-Madison.
Social, Emotional, and Physical benefits
of dogs
In the article Drs. Foster & Smith Educational Staff,
there are many benefits to owning a dog including
social, emotional, and physical benefits:
Social- Surprisingly enough, pets provide a social advantage. A dog may be a good topic for a conversation starter, give reasons to be in a more social environment (dog parks), and the presence of a dog at
home may increase the socialness of a family.
Emotional- Pets are turned to for comfort and so
pets can aid in the grieving process, help an individual
with depression, help individuals feel safer, increase
feelings of happiness, provide stability by having one
constant aspect to an individual’s life, and decrease
feelings of anxiety.
Physical- Homeowners with dogs tend to have lower
cholesterol, blood pressure, less minor health problems,
decreased doctor visits, less stress, increased chance of
survival after having one heart attack, and a greater
chance of getting help fast due to dogs sensing when
an owner is hurt and often barking.
8
Animal Cruelty
There are two types of animal
abuse: Physical hurting the animal and neglecting an animal?
Why would someone ever choose
to hurt his or her pet or let it suffer? Often, those who abuse or
neglect their animals are emotionally unstable or cannot afford
to care for a pet. According to
The Human Society of the United
States, the majority of abuse and
neglect cases are not ever reported. A connection with animal
abuse and domestic violence has
been found. Individuals that are
violent in their household, typically are showing this same behavior
towards their pets. In fact, the
HSUS says as many as one million
animals’ deaths or injuries are tied
in with domestic abuse. Why are
animals even allowed to go to
these unstable and un-fit caretakers? In this day and age, it is
very easy to get a pet. For example, if someone were to want
a pet dog, all they would have
to do is simply look it up on
craigslist, the newspaper, or another site on the internet. Very
rarely is a background check ever conducted and often the people giving away the animal are
so frantic to have the pet gone
with or to make money that
they do not stop to consider if
the animal is going to a safe
home. In other cases, in the excitement of getting a pet, people
do not realize the true responsibilities of getting a pet and with
the sellers unwilling to take the
pet back; they are stuck with an
unwanted animal after only a
few days of having it. Owners resort to neglecting the pet, abusing
the pet, or even leaving the pet
at a random location in box,
trashcan, or bag. However, there
are many options that a pet owner can choose from if they are in
no condition to take an animal in
to their home: Animal shelters,
rehoming, or not getting a pet in
the first place. www.bluecross.org,
www.aspca.org, and
www.badrap.org are safe sites to
help you explore your options in
rehoming a pet. What should you
do if you know of a person who is
abusing or neglecting his or her
animal? Call Michigan Humane
Society’s cruelty hotline at 313-872
-3401 or visit
www.michiganhumane.org.
Shelters and
Rescue Centers
There are many options
when contacting a Shelter
or rescue center in the case
of an abused animal or to
adopt an animal for yourself. The Noah’s Project,
among many, rescues animals from cruel situations
and cares for the animals
until they are adopted by
fit individuals. Of course, a
background check must be
done to insure the pet is
going into a safe environment. Visit
www.noahprojectmuskego
n.org for more information
or to donate to a great
cause. Nokillnetwork.ork
provides a list of no-kill
shelters including: Affection
Connection Rescue League
(Macomb) Michigan, including: A Scooter's ResQ
(St.Clair Shores), AC Paw
(Traverse City), All Paws
Animal Rescue, Animal
Placement Bureau
(Lansing), Animal Rescue
Coalition of Mecosta County (Big Rapids), AuSable
Valley Animal Shelter
(Grayling), Humane Society
of Livingston County
(Howell), Animal Rescue
Project (Kalamazoo), Detroit Dog Rescue (St. Clair
Shores), etc.
9
Taking Animals Out of Their Natural Habitats
Zoos
Zoos are a place where hundreds of people
come from miles around to see caged up
exotic animals that they would otherwise
never see. Zoo owners claim that the zoo
provides for a safe environment for endangered species and the animals are given all
of the resources needed to live and many
animals are better off in the zoo. Though
this may be true, some species would do
better in their natural habitats. For example, the guardian talks about many conditions in which an animal is not as safe in a
zoo as in its environment. At Dartmoor zoo,
deer are killed due to claims of overpopulation and they once killed a wolf
just due to the wolf being
shunned by its pack. The zoo
could have simply re-homed
Should an animal be
the animals or placed them
back into their natural habitats
taken out of its natural
instead of killing them. In addition, in a zoo animals are caged
habitat?
with minimal area to explore
anxiety levels in zoo animals are
high. Out in the wild, an animal
may wander and do as it pleases without
being poked at in a wire age. However, in
cases such as for the polar bear, a zoo environment may be just as safe or even safer,
protecting the animal from hunters and decreasing environmental conditions of its natural habitat.
Treatment and Rehabilitation
Should an animal be taken out of its
natural habitat to be aided if it is injured or should it be left to its doom?
According to the Veterinary Association for Wildlife Management
(VAWN), one of the things they consider when pondering this question is
if the animal will be able to be released afterwards with
the ability to live just as
an un-injured animal of
its species would. If not,
the animal is euthanized
because VAWN believes
that holding a disabled
animal in captivity for its
whole life is simply not
ethical. After rehabilitant, the animal is released if healthy and its
life is able to be continued captivity free.
10
A lion as a Pet
Some individuals prefer having exotic pets over
cats, dogs, horses, and other traditional pets.
Monkeys and exotic birds can be found in some
homes, but what about lions? Matt Blake, writer
on dailymail.co, tells the story of a woman who
keeps a male lion as a pet. Annel Snyman has an
18-month-old pet lion named Timba along with
a named diesel. Timba is a whopping 120kg and
lives with Annel in her home in South Africa. Timba plays in her garden, cuddles with her on the
couch, and gets along with Diesel. However, Timba is not the only odd pet Annel has had; Annel
has reared cheetah cubs, five lions total, a leopard, and a white lion.
Exotic Animals on the
Prowl
Timba the lion is thought to be a safe pet by
Annel, but when you have a lion as a pet,
something is always bound to go wrong. Lions
are meant to be in the wild where they can
roam and be with others of their own species.
The residents of Zanesville, Ohio learned this
lesson. Kelly Kruszewski of animlablawg.com
writes about the horrible event October 19,
2011. Terry Thompson, an owner of over 50
exotic species, had been watched over for 10
years due to several reports of animal cruelty.
However, the animals in his possession had
never been taken away, even with Thompson
threatening to release the animals a few
times. On October 19 of 2011, Thompson was
found dead near open cages in his wild animal
farm that had once held his exotic animals.
Thomson has freed wolves, lions, Bengal tigers,
bears, and more before killing himself. Residents of Zanesville were warned to stay at
home or in their cars and schools began to
rapidly close as the race to capture the animals began. Thankfully, no one was hurt;
however, 49 of these animals were killed, including numerous lions, due to Thompson having possession of exotic animals that should
never have been kept in his hands.
11
Neutering
Benefits of
Neutering
Neutering can be very beneficial to your pet. Medical
and behavioral benefits can
be gained according to the
ASPCA. Neutering eliminates the risk of testicular
cancer because the testes are
removed from neutered cats
and dogs. For dogs, behavioral benefits include decreased roaming. Unneutered dogs often roam in
search of females in heat but
neutered dogs are less likely
to roam, keeping them safe
and off the roads. Some cases also suggest that neutering decreases aggression in
male dogs. Neutering can
also prevent euthanizing animals or inhumane killing of
dogs. With neutering animals, the problem of having
unexpected babies is eliminated. With increasing numbers of animals being spayed
and neutered, the number of
strays is also decreasing. With
less strays comes less animals
in shelters where they will be
killed after a certain date
and less animals running
around without food or water. Neutering and spaying
should be considered by
those not prepared to take
on the responsibility of newborn animals and cannot
afford to take care of them.
Negative Effects of
Neutering
Did you know that neutering could actually be harmful to your pet’s health? According to Psychology Today, for male dogs that are
neutered before reaching
age one, hip dysplasia is
twice as common, and the
risk of lymphatic cancer
triples. For female dogs
that are neutered, cancer
of blood vessel walls is four
times more common and
mast cell tumor risk increases. The risk of knee
alignment damage increases for neutered male and
female dogs. Castrated
male dogs have an increased risk of dementia
and some studies show that
female dogs may become
more aggressive. Always
consider the effects before
neutering your pet.
What determines if
a pet is neutered/
spayed?
There are several factors
that effect if an animal is
neutered or spayed including household income,
what location the animal
lives at, or if the animal
even has an owner or is just
a stray. Alleycat.org reports
that 54% of cats are neutered that live in households making $35,000 or
more, 14% of cats living in
households making less
than $35,000 a year are
neutered, there are 11% of
cats neutered in households
with unknown income, and
14% of cats are not neutered that live in households making more than
$35,000.
12
Euthanizing
Is it ethical to euthanize your pet?
Many families have had to consider this question as
they wait in the vet for news on their pet who is
deathly sick, got into an accident, or is just too old to
function. For the Wilson Family of Fruitport, Michigan, there was no choice. Missy, a beloved family
dog, had been hit by a car and was slowly passing
due to injuries that could not be fixed in time to save
her. The veterinarian put the dog down as to stop the
suffering of the dog. Sometimes the only option is to
euthanize your pet. Cancer, old age, and accidents
may leave your animal unable to function and it
would be more un-ethical to leave your animal leaving and suffering than to take it to the veterinarian’s
office to get it euthanized. However, when euthanizing animals is unnecessary, it becomes un-ethical.
Thousands of animal are euthanized around the
world everyday simply because shelters do not have
enough room to keep them and cannot find new
homes for the pets soon enough. What can be done
about this? Increased levels of spaying and neutering
are slowly lowering the number of pets killed in kill
shelters each year. You can personally aid in this
problem by adopting a pet from a no kill shelter,
saving its life.
The Impact of euthanizing a pet on the
family
Euthanizing a pet has a large impact on the pet’s family.
Life.org says that euthanizing can result in later regrets,
and family conflict. Due to differing opinions on if a pet
should be euthanized, a family might split into a bitter
feud or even shun individuals who made the decision.
Some family members may become more isolated from
the rest due to having been close to the pet and now
morning its loss. The family may also begin to regret euthanizing the animal and start asking “what if?” Could the
animal have lived? This is why it is important to carefully
examine your options and the consequences before euthanizing your pet.
13
Animal Fights
Problems with Animal fights
Animal fighting has been going on for ages,
but animal fighting is neither ethical nor safe
for anyone involved. The animal Legal Defense
Fund says that there are tons of issues intertwine with animal fighting, including the fact
that animal fighting attracts other crimes that
may be even more serious. These illegal activities include dealing drugs, gambling on which
pet will win, weapon offenses, and pet theft. In
addition, animal fighting is obviously unsafe
for the pets involved. If not killed, these animals are abused by the owners and taught to
be aggressive. When and if seized by law enforcement, these animals are often too aggressive to be placed in to shelters and must be euthanized. All of these negative aspects could be
prevented if animal fights could be eliminated,
however animal fighting is usually very secretive in an unknown location, making it difficult
for law enforcement to get involved and save
the poor animals.
Commonly Used Animals
Dogs
Roosters
Hogs and Dogs
Minnie’s Story
Author Erin Edgemon tells the story of a pit bull puppy named Minnie recued from the second- largest dog
fighting bust in United States history. In August, 2013
federal authorities announced the bust that they had
been investigating for three years. The bust included
Alabama, Mississippi, and Georgia and a total of 367
dogs were rescues including Minnie . Twelve suspects
were arrested and are facing charges of promoting
and sponsoring dog fights, transporting dogs for the
purpose of fighting, animal abuse, illegal gamboling,
etc. Many of the dogs were found flee-infested with
cuts and scars. The dogs were hooked to heavy chains
and lacked water and food. Remains of dogs were
also found on the properties. The rescued were transported to several shelters across the united states. Unfortunately, some were too aggressive and had to be
euthanized. However, Minnie is safe and was sent to a
foster home in Baltimore, Maryland.
Animal Fights
Description (According to ALDF)
Two dogs are released in a pin or ring to fight
until one dog is either dead or unable to fight
any longer.
Two roosters are placed into a ring or pin to
fight to death.
A dog is placed into a ring with a tusk less hog
and timed to see how fast the dog can attack
and pin the hog.
14
The Fur Trade
The Ugly reality of Uggs
Among other items, Uggs have become a popular style worn by mostly teen and college aged girls. But if they knew
how Uggs were made and what they were made o, would they still be as popular? Rachel Dunn, writer at The Daily
Princetonian, spreads says that college students have already started protesting the production and wearing of Uggs
on campuses. One such campus being the Frist Campus Center, where students sat on the front lawn with numerous
posters. Why are they protesting Uggs? The sad truth is that Uggs are made by killing sheep and skinning the animals
of their fur and all, not simply searing the fur off of the animal. Thousands of innocent sheep are killed to make Ugg
boots and thousands of girls are walking around with what they do not realize is sheep skin on their feet. What is so
bad about humanely killing an animal before using it fur for a product? The thing is, the sheep are not humanely
killed either. In many areas of production, the animals are skinned alive and left to suffer until finally dying a slow
and painful death. Sign the petition against Uggs and take the pledge at secure.peta.org.
Peta provides a list of the types of animals killed for their skin:
Beavers
Chinchillas
Dogs and Cats
Typically, traps tat grip the
body are used to trap beavers so their fur can be
used. These traps are designed to kill beavers instantly when catching the
animal properly, but more
often than not these animals are not properly
caught in the trap and suffer to death from the inju-
Chinchillas are kept on fur
farms before being harvested for their fur. Chinchillas
are active animals that like
to explore but lack this opportunity on fur farms.
Peta investigators have
even found fur farms that
inhumanely electrocute the
chinchillas, break their
necks, or use other cruel
ways to kill the animals.
China is the united States largest fur imported and
produces more than half of all fur items in the U.S.
Unfortunately, china has no penalties for animal cruelty on fur farms. Many dogs and cats are still alive
and suffering while they are skinned alive for their
fur and left to die a painful death. Not only are dogs
and cats treated poorly as they are being skinned,
they live in very poor conditions on the fur farms
with little food or water. Some cat and dog fur selling companies in china purposely mislabel the furs as
other animals and sell the furs to unknowing customers in the united states.
Foxes
Rabbits
Some foxes are raised on
fur farms in horrid conditions until they are killed
for their fur, while other
foxes are trapped in steeljaw traps. These traps crush
their legs and cause the fox
to bleed and suffer until
trappers arrive and shoot
or beat the fox to death.
Bears
Around a billion rabbits are killed
each year for their fur. Rabbits are
kept in filthy wire ages that tear at
their feet, unable to roam or play.
When the rabbits are ready to be
un-skinned, fur farmers kill the animal by methods such as beating in
their skull, breaking their neck, and
more. The animals are then hung
upside down by their legs and decapitated.
Bears are hunted for their fur with either
traps of hunters with guns. However,
these traps do not kill the bear quickly
and if the hunter does not return to the
trap quickly, the bear suffers and dies
from starvation, blood loss, etc. Additionally, some bears that are hunted for their
fur leave behind cubs that are far too
young to fend for themselves.
15
Deforestation
Why is deforestation a threat
to animals?
Deforestation threatens the lives of
thousands of animal species. The
article, Species threatened by Deforestation, lists a few of these animals: the Javan Rhinoceros, the
mountain gorilla, the bormean
orangutan, the giant panda, the
tiger, and the lion tamarin. The
Javan Rhinoceros is now critically
endangered with less than 50 left.
The mountain Gorilla relies on
bamboo for food, but with bamboo being drastically cut down
each year, the population of these
gorillas falls to. Other animals suffer from the clearing of their habitat and food source. Something
must be done before these animals transfer from critically endangered to extinct.
How can you help?
Are you interested in sending in
a donation to help prevent
rainforest destruction and save
endangered animals from extinction? You can by simply visiting www.rainforesttrust.org
and donating to the Rainforest
Legacy Fund. You may also
consider recycling paper to save
trees to fights cutting down
rainforest trees.
Proboscis Monkeys
The proboscis monkey, an endangered monkey specie, is being
threatened from the destruction of
their habitats. The swamp forests,
mangrove forests, and riverine forests that proboscis monkeys typically live in are being destroyed by agricultural developments and logging. If something isn’t done, it is
predicted that the population of
this species will decrease by 1000
monkeys in the next fifty years. Why
does this matter? The proboscis
monkey species currently only has
3000 living monkeys. It is important
to preserve this species habitat to
prevent future extinction.
16
Bibliography






























"15 Pictures - 1 Topic, 1 Post, 15 Pictures. Always!" 15 Pictures - 1 Topic, 1 Post, 15 Pictures. Always! N.p., n.d. Web. 27 Mar.
2014.
"7 Baby Elephants That Will Melt Your Heart." Cute Emergency. N.p., n.d. Web. 25 Mar. 2014.
"Alaska Trophy Safaris - Kodiak Brown Bear Hunting." Alaska Trophy Safaris - Kodiak Brown Bear Hunting. N.p., n.d.
Web. 25 Mar. 2014.
"Alley Cat Allies." Alley Cat Allies. N.p., n.d. Web. 16 Mar. 2014.
"Animal Abuse in the Fast Food Industry." Animal Abuse in the Fast Food Industry. N.p., n.d. Web. 24 Mar. 2014.
"Animal Blawg." Animal Blawg. N.p., n.d. Web. 16 Mar. 2014.
"Animal Care." Animal Care. N.p., n.d. Web. 13 Mar. 2014.
"Animal Control Agencies Hit with Lawsuit by Activists - Cites Corruption and Abuse." Freedom Outpost. N.p., n.d. Web
26 Mar. 2014.
"Animal Cruelty Facts and Statistics." : The Humane Society of the United States. N.p., n.d. Web. 16 Mar. 2014.
"Animal Fact: Ducklings Are Cute." The Pet Collective. N.p., n.d. Web. 16 Mar. 2014.
"Animal Fighting Facts." Animal Legal Defense Fund Animal Fighting Facts Comments. N.p., n.d. Web. 16 Mar. 2014.
"Animal Testing Experiments." N.p., n.d. Web. Feb.-Mar. 2014.
"Animal Testing." Wikipedia. Wikimedia Foundation, 22 Mar. 2014. Web. 23 Mar. 2014.
"Animal Well-Being." Tyson Foods:. N.p., n.d. Web. 13 Mar. 2014.
"Animals and Us." Should We De-Sex All Of Our Pets? N.p., n.d. Web. 16 Mar. 2014.
"Animals Used for Fur." PETA. N.p., n.d. Web. 16 Mar. 2014.
"Best Pictures of Cats and More." : Picture of a White Cat against a White Background. N.p., n.d. Web. 30 Mar. 2014.
"Blue And Green Ombre Background." : Green Decoration For House. Foyersmall Entryway With Wood Flooring Area
Rug And Blue China Accents. N.p., n.d. Web. 27 Mar. 2014.
"Blue and Red Background - Google Search." Blue and Red Background - Google Search. N.p., n.d. Web. 27 Mar. 2014
"Blue Cross Blog." Blue Cross. N.p., n.d. Web. 16 Mar. 2014.
"Calling All Dogs." My New Puppy. N.p., n.d. Web. 25 Mar. 2014.
"Chicken - Google Search." Chicken - Google Search. N.p., n.d. Web. 30 Mar. 2014.
"Cruelty Investigation Department - Michigan Humane Society." Cruelty Investigation Department - Michigan Human
Society. N.p., n.d. Web. 16 Mar. 2014.
"Current Affairs." Current Affairs. N.p., n.d. Web. 13 Mar. 2014.
"Deforestation in the Democratic Republic of the Congo." Wikipedia. Wikimedia Foundation, 24 Mar. 2014. Web. 27
Mar. 2014.
"Deforestation." Townipproject09 -. N.p., n.d. Web. 16 Mar. 2014.
"Disturbing Photos Capture the Realities of Euthanization at Animal Shelters." PetaPixel RSS. N.p., n.d. Web. 27 Mar.
2014.
"Donation Options." Rainforest Trust Rainforest Legacy Fund Comments. N.p., n.d. Web. 16 Mar. 2014.
"Earth & Environment." Futurity. N.p., n.d. Web. 16 Mar. 2014.
"Effects of Trophy Hunting on Animals Endangered Species Handbook." Effects of Trophy Hunting on Animals Endangered Species Handbook. N.p., n.d. Web. 13 Mar. 2014.
17
Bibliography

































"Effects of Trophy Hunting on Animals Endangered Species Handbook." Effects of Trophy Hunting on Animals Endangered Species Handbook. N.p., n.d. Web. 14 Mar. 2014.
"Elephant News - Started in Munich 2001." Latest News about Elephants from Amboseli. N.p., n.d. Web. 25 Mar. 2014.
"EU Reaffirms Ban on Animal Testing for Cosmetics." DW.DE. N.p., n.d. Web. 23 Mar. 2014.
"Feather." N.p., n.d. Web. 24 Mar. 2014.
"Follow on Facebook." LiveScience.com. N.p., n.d. Web. 12 Mar. 2014.
"Frank's Photo Essays." Frank's Photo Essays. N.p., n.d. Web. 30 Mar. 2014.
"Free Photos about Gold Background (about 144 Files)." Gold Background Free Photos for Free Download (about 144
Files). N.p., n.d. Web. 26 Mar. 2014.
"HD Wallpapers." Full HD Desktop Wallpapers. N.p., n.d. Web. 25 Mar. 2014.
"Homepage » Cat » Black Cat » Black Cat Background Wallpaper." Black Cat Background Wallpaper. N.p., n.d. Web.
30 Mar. 2014.
"How Will Neutering Change My Dog?" ASPCA. N.p., n.d. Web. 16 Mar. 2014.
"Human Population Explosion." Human Population Explosion. N.p., n.d. Web. 27 Mar. 2014.
"Humane Society Logo Vector." Gallery For. N.p., n.d. Web. 16 Mar. 2014.
"Latest Free Wallpapers - Page 1." Free Wallpapers. N.p., n.d. Web. 30 Mar. 2014.
"Logos." Organic Valley -. N.p., n.d. Web. 13 Mar. 2014.
"Low Carb on the Town." Low Carb on the Town. N.p., n.d. Web. 13 Mar. 2014.
"Main Menu." Wind Lashed. N.p., n.d. Web. 25 Mar. 2014.
"Michigan Ann Arbor Bay City Detroit Flint Grand Rapids Jackson Kalamazoo Lansing Muskegon Saginaw All Michigan." The Kalamazoo Gazette. N.p., n.d. Web. 27 Mar. 2014.
"Missouri Voters: Puppy Mills Are Bad, Let's Pass Prop B. Missouri Lawmakers: STFU." Daily RFT. N.p., n.d. Web. 25 Mar.
2014.
"Nature Pictures and Wallpapers :." Nature Pictures and Wallpapers. N.p., n.d. Web. 27 Mar. 2014.
"Orange Background Design." Funny Pictures Tumblr Quotes Captions. N.p., n.d. Web. 27 Mar. 2014.
"Pet Care Testimonials." Courteous Canine. N.p., n.d. Web. 26 Mar. 2014.
"Pet Franchise Industry Overview." FRANCHISE DIRECT. N.p., n.d. Web. 13 Mar. 2014.
"Pierce Brosnan Issues License to save the Whales." Examiner.com. N.p., n.d. Web. 16 Mar. 2014.
"Pit Bull Puppy Rescued in Bust of Multi-state Dog Fighting Ring Going to New Home for Christmas." AL.com. N.p., n.d.
Web. 16 Mar. 2014.
"Poultry and Eggs: Industries That Abuse Chickens." PETA. N.p., n.d. Web. 10 Mar. 2014.
"Red-background-and-photo-high-resolution-download." Integrated Resources Inc. N.p., n.d. Web. 30 Mar. 2014.
"Redirect Notice." Redirect Notice. N.p., n.d. Web. 25 Mar. 2014.
"Re-homing Your Dog." ASPCA. N.p., n.d. Web. 16 Mar. 2014.
"Rhinos." Earth Shots Daily. N.p., n.d. Web. 24 Mar. 2014.
"Royalty Free Vector Clipart." RFClipart. N.p., n.d. Web. 25 Mar. 2014.
"Sometimes It's A Little Bit Like A Butterfly..." : July 2012. N.p., n.d. Web. 27 Mar. 2014.
"Species Threatened by Deforestation - Global Deforestation - How Will Deforestation Affect Us?" Species Threatened by
Deforestation - Global Deforestation - How Will Deforestation Affect Us? N.p., n.d. Web. 16 Mar. 2014.
"Stop Animal Cruelty And Testing." Stop Animal Cruelty And Testing. N.p., n.d. Web. 20 Mar. 2014.
18
Bibliography

"Texture, Texture, Background, Blue, Yellow, Blue, Background, Full Hd Wallpaper - ForWallpaper.com." Texture, Texture, Background, Blue, Yellow, Blue, Background, Full Hd Wallpaper - ForWallpaper.com. N.p., n.d. Web. 27 Mar.
2014.

"The Best of Nature - Amazing Scene of Nature 1920×1200第14张壁纸 - 猫猫壁纸酷 Wallcoo.com." The Best of Nature Amazing Scene of Nature 1920×1200第14张壁纸 - 猫猫壁纸酷 Wallcoo.com. N.p., n.d. Web. 27 Mar. 2014.















"THE EARTH'S ECOSYSTEM." : PHOTOS. N.p., n.d. Web. 30 Mar. 2014.
"To Kill Or Not To Kill." - Animal Euthanasia: Humane? N.p., n.d. Web. 27 Mar. 2014.
"Treatment and Rehabilitation of Wildlife Casualties." Veterinary Association for Wildlife Management -. N.p., n.d. Web.
16 Mar. 2014.
"Viewing Gallery For - Pale Purple Background." Viewing Gallery For - Pale Purple Background. N.p., n.d. Web. 25
Mar. 2014.
"Wallpapers Wala." Wallpapers Wala RSS. N.p., n.d. Web. 30 Mar. 2014.
"Welcome to Noah Project -." Noah Project. N.p., n.d. Web. 16 Mar. 2014.
"What Are the Health Benefits of Owning a Pet." What Are the Health Benefits of Owning a Pet. N.p., n.d. Web. 14 Mar.
2014.
"Why Man's Best Friend Is Man's Best Friend." Man's Best Friend: Physical, Emotional, and Social Benefits of Dogs. N.p.,
n.d. Web. 13 Mar. 2014.
"Will The BP Oil Spill Be The End Of The World As We Know It For The Gulf Of Mexico?" The End Of The World. N.p.,
n.d. Web. 27 Mar. 2014.
Animal Testing Rights Pd. 1. Digital image. ApBioStoga. N.p., n.d. Web. 12 Mar. 2014.
Blake, Matt. "Have You Met My Pet Cat? Remarkable Bond between a Woman and Her Pet LION Who Eats 9lbs of
Food a Day and Cuddles up with Her on the Sofa." Mail Online. Associated Newspapers, 24 Sept. 2013. Web. 16 Mar.
2014.
http://michiganblogging.com/2011/06/30/detroit-zoo-history-events-rides-and-attractions-admission-prices-and-contact
-details/
Lawson, Helen. "There's a Lion in the Lounge and He's Just Pounced on the Guests: At Home with the Woman Who Rescues Big Cats and Treats Them as Pets." Mail Online. Associated Newspapers, 31 Oct. 2012. Web. 27 Mar. 2014.
Sheen, Garry. "The Safest Place for an Animal Is Its Natural Habitat – Not a Zoo." The Guardian. Guardian News and
Media, 21 Sept. 2010. Web. 16 Mar. 2014.
WorldWildlife.org. World Wildlife Fund, 28 Aug. 2012. Web. 14 Mar. 2014.
19