Podcasts about spcas

"I think that's often the solution when feeling sort of bogged down in the issues of our day is when you zoom out and you look at sort of the whole arc of change, you can sort of get inspired that, yeah, we've come a long way." - Monica Murphy  Bill Wasik is the editorial director of The New York Times Magazine and Monica Murphy is a veterinarian and writer. Their latest book, Our Kindred Creatures: How Americans Came to Feel the Way They Do About Animals, comes out today, April 23rd. It's a book about moral change and a moral revolution, one that took place from the 1860s to the 1890s in the United States. Over those three decades, the way we treated animals completely changed. It was the time of the birth of the ASPCA, of many SPCAs, of the anti-vivisection movement, and of the first animal shelters. It was a time of massive change. Even though I think most people who listen to this podcast know that we need a much larger moral revolution in terms of how we treat animals, this book gave me so much hope that it can actually be done. Please listen, share and read Our Kindred Creatures. https://www.penguinrandomhouse.com/books/634494/our-kindred-creatures-by-bill-wasik-and-monica-murphy/

If you don't already have passes to Humane Canada's Summit for Animals May 5 to 7 in Halifax, you're going to miss out on an awful lot! The annual event is organized by Humane Canada, the national federation of humane societies and SPCAs, and presenting sponsor PetSmart Charities of Canada. The Summit for Animals brings together people who work on the frontlines of animal welfare, the folks who strategize behind the scenes, people who run shelters, and those that seek legislative policy shifts. It's the place to be for animal advocates, and to share more about what this year's conference will include, Defender Radio was joined by Humane Canada's Natalia Hanson. SHOW NOTES: Register for the Summit for Animals: https://reg.eventmobi.com/summitforanimals Add your name to Summit email list: https://mailchi.mp/humanecanada/summit-sign-up-form Learn more about Humane Canada: https://www.humanecanada.ca/ PetSmart Charities of Canada: https://petsmartcharities.ca/ Episode Art Photo by Donna Feledichuk / Getty Images Want to suggest topics for Defender Radio? Reach out to us at DefenderRadio@Gmail.com, by visiting DefenderRadio.com or engaging host Michael Howie on social media via Instagram (www.instagram.com/howiemichael) or Facebook (www.Facebook.com/DefenderRadio).  Defender Radio is produced by The Fur-Bearers (www.TheFurBearers.com), a charitable non-partisan organization whose mandate is to advocate on behalf of fur-bearing animals in the wild and in confinement, promote coexistence solutions in communities and protect the habitats of fur-bearing animals across Canada. You can follow The Fur-Bearers on Instagram (www.instagram.com/furbearers), Twitter (www.twitter.com/furbearers) and Facebook (www.facebook.com/FurFree). 

Guest: Keshvi Nair is the Public Relations Officer for National Council of SPCAs and she brings advice to Cape Talk listeners about the best to deal with their interaction with feral cats and the problems that they cause in many neighbourhoods.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Do we need tougher legislation when it comes to the ownership of wild or exotic animals as pets? Clement speaks to Flora Mokgohloa, the Deputy Director General for Biodiversity and conservation at the Department of Forestry, Fisheries and the Environment and Doug Wolhuter, the National Senior Inspector at the Wildlife Protection Unit within National Council of SPCAs.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Government this week put out a notice urging all dog owners who no longer wish to keep their animals to take them to their local SPCA, animal welfare shelter, or private veterinarian. This as the debate on whether pitbulls should be banned continues to gain momentum as more children are getting mauled to death by the dogs. In the most recent case, a one-year-old child was on Wednesday mauled to death in a pit bull attack in the Eastern Cape, bringing the total of such attacks across the country to three in less than one week and at least five incidents in November. Keshvi Nair is Public Relations Officer for the National Council of SPCAs 

Calls to ban the pit bull breed of dogs have been mounting after the fatal mauling of an eight-year-old who was playing in the yard at his home in Mangaung in Free State last weekend.   Spokesperson for the Pit Bull federation of South Africa Lins Rautenbach, said many people are misinformed about the breed, and this has consequences for society, as experienced with maulings. The National Council of SPCAs' public relations officer Keshvi Nair encouraged owners who are overwhelmed with their pit bulls to surrender them, adding the breed has limitations. 

SPCAs around Aotearoa are heaving and the Christchurch branch is no exception after more than 20 puppies were dumped near the Waimakariri River. That means foster pet parents are close to maxed out, when usually winter tends to provide a bit of a breather. But not so this year, with kittens and puppies still turning up. SPCA Centre Manager for Christchurch and Ashburton Natasha Sutton talks to Lisa Owen.

In this episode, I welcome the Rescue Dogs Wines husband and wife duo for an update on all the new wines launched for us to enjoy!Rescue Dog Wines produces award-winning wines from locally sourced, California grapes. With wo(man)'s best friend adorning each bottle, 50% of profits go to support rescue dogs, charity organizations, and local SPCAs. Their mission is to support through wine sales and donations, the placement of as many Rescue Dogs as possible into loving homes.Show Notes:www.snackimpactpodcast.com/episodes Rescue Dog Wines:www.rescuedogwines.com/

April is Sexual Assault Awareness Month, and we're drawing attention to the issue by asking -- if someone came to you with concerns that they were sexually assaulted.. would you know what to say? What are the right words? What are the wrong questions to ask? We talk to Andrea Gunraj from the Canadian Women's Foundation for more. Some students are raising concerns after the Law Society of Ontario announced changes to the upcoming summer bar exams. We speak to third year law student Ryan Shah about what he and other Ontario students are experiencing. Ontario's chief medical officer of health Dr. Kieran Moore spoke to media yesterday for the first time in more than a month. Dr. Gerald Evans is an infectious disease specialist at Queen's University and a member of the COVID-19 Science Advisory Table. We speak to him for the details. After a couple of very tough years, ski resorts in Ontario are celebrating once again. The ski season is just wrapping up and operators are looking over how it went. We chat with Kevin Nichol who is the president of the Ontario Snow Resorts Association. Humane Canada is a federation of SPCAs and humane societies. It's trying to put pet food security on better footing with a national pet food bank program. We talk to Barbara Cartwright who is the C-E-O of Humane Canada. Absentee rates are increasing amid Ontario's sixth wave...Businesses are trying to avoid possible interruptions to their staffing -- and, to their bottom line. Carrie Lynn Macpherson is the owner of Kingston Paint and Decorating.

Humane Canada's Summit for Animals is approaching, and it's sounding like it's going to be their best yet. The annual conference is going to include in-person events in Banff, Alberta in conjunction with a broad variety of online presentations. Formerly the National Animal Welfare Conference, the Summit for Animals is reaching well beyond Humane Canada's foundations as the federation of humane societies and SPCAs; I'll be speaking with attorney Rebeka Breder about the Stanley Park coyotes; my boss Lesley Fox will be on a panel about fur farming; and we're all excited at the wide range of topics and opportunities to learn. To share more about this conference, its evolution, and what attendees in person and online can expect, Humane Canada's Natalia Hanson joined Defender Radio. Get more details on Humane Canada's Summit for Animals at https://bit.ly/3u7BbGA!  Want to suggest topics for Defender Radio? Reach out to us at DefenderRadio@Gmail.com, by visiting DefenderRadio.com or engaging host Michael Howie on social media via Instagram (www.instagram.com/howiemichael), TikTok (www.tiktok.com/@howiemichael) or Facebook (www.Facebook.com/DefenderRadio).  Defender Radio is produced by The Fur-Bearers (www.TheFurBearers.com), a charitable non-partisan organization whose mandate is to advocate on behalf of fur-bearing animals in the wild and in confinement, promote coexistence solutions in communities and protect the habitats of fur-bearing animals across Canada. You can follow The Fur-Bearers on Instagram (www.instagram.com/furbearers), Twitter (www.twitter.com/furbearers) and Facebook (www.facebook.com/FurFree). 

Listen above to “What's Past is Prologue” part five of “Yesterday, Today, and Tomorrow: Animal Sheltering in the United States,” a podcast series.Carl Sagan once said, “The visions we offer… shape the future. It matters what those visions are. Often they become self-fulfilling prophecies. Dreams are maps.”There was a time when No Kill was just a hope. We dreamed it anyway. And because we did, it no longer is. We now have a solution to shelter killing and it is not difficult, expensive, or beyond practical means to achieve. Unlike the “adopt some and kill the rest” form of animal sheltering that dominated in our country for over a century, needlessly claiming the lives of millions of animals every year, there are now No Kill communities placing over 99% of all animals entrusted to their care. As we continue our work to make pound killing a thing of the past in every American community and then build upon that success to protect every animal, no matter the species, no matter the threat of harm, what will our map for the future look like? What roads will we take to do so?There are those groups — like Best Friends and Austin Pets Alive — that instead of promoting the proven cure to shelter killing, are now advising shelters to close their doors, to stop taking in homeless and lost dogs and cats, to stop adoptions, to settle for 90% and even then come by it dishonestly, to be open by appointment only, allowing neglect and abuse to remain hidden. In short, they are telling shelters to take in more money and do less with it and in the process, derail the movement and thwart further progress, leaving animals to suffer whatever fate befalls them.And then there's the more optimistic vision, the more humane vision, the one that aligns mission and deeds, that allows for humans and non-humans to peacefully coexist, indeed to universally thrive. To build, in the end, a truly humane society. It is a vision in which our humane societies and SPCAs are not inessential, but indispensable. To achieve this vision, we need only do what we have always done, what our success thus far has been dependent upon — to neither accept nor emulate the voices of defeatism, of corruption, of those who believe in their own celebrity and put themselves and the fundraising prerogatives of their organizations above the needs and lives of animals. The founder of our movement did it when his fledgling ASPCA stood up against those who would harm animals, including industries owned by peers and colleagues. We did it when the fledgling No Kill movement stood up to a calcified status quo reliant on killing. And we can do it again by rejecting the self-serving, cynical pronouncements by those we once counted among us who have since lost their way. And do it again we must.For if history teaches us anything about progress, it is this: that the future belongs to the dreamers. To those who defy convention. To those with the audacity to try something different. To those with the moral courage to proclaim that a naked emperor has no clothes. And to those who believe that tomorrow can always — and must always — be better than today.150 years ago an animal lover named Henry Bergh stopped a man on the side of a road from beating his horse, and in that act of compassion, found his life's true calling. At a time when public displays of cruelty to animals were so commonplace as to be unremarkable, he refused to believe in the inevitability of such harm. And he dared to expect, and demand, better. A century and a half later, we are all the inheritors of his legacy — the kinder, gentler world he bequeathed us, and an unfinished road whose first stones he laid that lead us to an even brighter future. Bergh's life's work is now our work, and thanks to those in his lifetime who likewise admired and sought to emulate his example, thousands of humane societies and SPCAs, too long needlessly shrouded in darkness, already exist that could and should help us realize his broad, encompassing vision. It is the battle for the souls of these organizations that has defined our efforts for the last three decades, but having reclaimed them — having finally eliminated the harm to animals they have themselves engaged in — a mission lost can once again be found. Freed of the stultifying myths and excuses necessary to quell the disconnect between noble word and their own harmful deeds, our humane societies and SPCAs become liberated from a prison of their own devising; having laid down the heavy burden of killing, their hands become free to once again pick up and reignite Bergh's now smoldering torch; a torch that once lit and exposed dark corners where abuse and neglect of animals thrives in obscurity or convention in every American community.Today, the primary challenge our movement faces to realize Bergh's dream and to reach the end of the path he placed us upon is to ignore those who have devised new shackles for our imagination; shackles designed to drag us backward or keep us rooted in a place that does not threaten their hegemony.But just as before, these shackles, too, are a mere illusion; an illusion that gives way the moment we choose to place one foot in front of the other in spite of them, and continue on this journey, of which we have already come so far. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit news.nathanwinograd.org/subscribe

Listen above to “A House of Cards Divided: The fight for the heart and soul of America's animal shelters,” part two of “Yesterday, Today, and Tomorrow: Animal Sheltering in the United States,” a podcast series.I recently published several articles and podcasts about how some groups have abandoned their No Kill mission and are now successfully encouraging others to do the same. Concerned about the increasing betrayal of No Kill ideals by organizations that grew influential and wealthy by championing that very cause, I have embarked on a podcast series that will serve both as a refresher on the history and principles of No Kill, as well as provide a roadmap for the future.In part one, Jennifer and I recount the 1866 founding of the American animal protection movement in New York City by Henry Bergh, who incorporated the nation's first SPCA. We discuss the values that compelled him to advocate for all animals regardless of species and regardless of who was responsible for inflicting harm to them. Beneficiaries of Bergh's compassion and determination included working dogs and horses, animals killed for sport or exploited for entertainment, animals in slaughterhouses, animals tortured for medical experiementation, and frequently, the city's cruel dogcatchers. At the end of that podcast, we recount how the ASPCA took over the pound contract in New York City following Henry Bergh's death and against his wishes. As a result, it began a century of squandering not only his life work, but more significantly, the ASPCA's vast potential. As other SPCAs and humane societies followed suit, Bergh's ideal of a humane agency founded to save the lives of animals was replaced with shelters across the country whose primary purpose was killing animals, whether or not they are suffering. Within a very short period of time, they collectively became the leading killers of dogs and cats in America. You can listen here to part one: “Regarding Henry: The birth and betrayal of the humane movement in America.” How was it that organizations focused on the rights of all animals became some of the largest inflictors of harm to them? In part two, we discuss how these organizations tried to reconcile this contradiction by creating the fiction that killing by shelter employees was not just a unique exception to the rule that animals should not be subjected to violence, but even more disturbing, that shelter killing was itself a form of animal advocacy; a kindness. We explain how illogical and therefore vulnerable to scrutiny this tenet actually was, likening it to a house of cards that would fracture under the various stressors that would repeatedly test its moral and structural integrity throughout the coming century. The first test came to a head in the 1950s when the battle over pound seizure (sending animals from pounds to animal research laboratories) exposed the degree to which many of those working at these so-called “animal protection” organizations had become so divorced from their founding missions that they were willing to sell animals to be tortured for profit. The second occurred in the 1970s, when cultural headwinds transformed dogs and cats into beloved family members, requiring additional and equally absurd philosophical scaffolding to obfuscate their betrayals from an increasingly concerned American public. And the third occurred in the 1990s when The San Francisco SPCA embraced common-sense alternatives to pound killing and brought the death rate to the lowest of any urban community in the U.S., launching the modern No Kill movement and provoking a backlash from the traditional sheltering establishment that was threatened by that success.As young, 20-something animal rights advocates working and volunteering at several Bay Area animal protection organizations in the 1990s, Jennifer and I ran head long into the serious dysfunction that had come to dominate animal sheltering, and the animal protection movement as a whole.Those experiences would come to influence the course of our personal and professional lives to this very day, including the fight to protect cats in California that brought us together. They would also ultimately set the stage for moving our kids, dogs, and over 20 cats across the country to create the nation's first No Kill community.——————This holiday season, please consider giving the gift of a Substack subscription to a friend, family member, or colleague. Doing so allows me to keep writing articles and making podcasts on issues not found anywhere else: This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit news.nathanwinograd.org/subscribe

Listen above to “Regarding Henry: The birth and betrayal of the humane movement in America,” part one of “Yesterday, Today, and Tomorrow: Animal Sheltering in the United States,” a podcast series.I recently published several articles and podcasts about how some groups have abandoned their No Kill mission and are now successfully encouraging others to do the same. Concerned about the increasing betrayal of No Kill ideals by organizations that grew influential and wealthy by championing that very cause, this is part one of a podcast series that will serve both as a refresher on the history and principles of No Kill, as well as provide a roadmap for the future.Although a tremendous amount of progress has been made since the publication, 13 years ago, of my first book, Redemption: The Myth of Pet Overpopulation and the No Kill Revolution in America, and though millions of animals who would have once faced death when entering their local shelter now find instead a helping hand and a new beginning, our work is far from over. In fact, at the very moment we have achieved unprecedented progress — an achievement that has been called “the single biggest success of the modern animal protection movement” — there are those who would have us abandon the very means that have proven so transformative in shelter after shelter in America, rather than double down on those efforts until every single animal in every single shelter is guaranteed the same. Explaining how this tragic crossroads has come to pass, what we can do to stop this backsliding, and what future we should be striving for are the goals of this series of podcasts; a series that starts with a story, as I explained in Redemption, that should serve as our movement's true North: the founding of the American animal protection movement in the second half of the 19th century by the late, great, visionary Henry Bergh.To those who read Redemption or seen the documentary based on the book, Henry Bergh needs no introduction. To those who haven't, Henry Bergh launched the humane movement in North America.After he succeeded in chartering the American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals — the nation's first SPCA — in 1866 and then passing an anti-cruelty law shortly thereafter, he put a copy in his pocket, and took to the streets that very night — and every single night thereafter for the remainder of his life — to help animals and punish violators. The annals of the ASPCA describe the first such encounter:The driver of a cart laden with coal is whipping his horse. Passersby on the New York City street stop to gawk not so much at the weak, emaciated equine, but at the tall man, elegant in top hat and spats, who is explaining to the driver that it is now against the law to beat one's animal.Whether fighting for the rights of horses, opposing hunting, trying to clean up slaughterhouses, or protecting stray dogs, Bergh's ASPCA grew in both scope and influence. In a very short period of time, cities across North America had used the ASPCA as a model for their own, independent humane societies and SPCAs, and the numbers continued to grow. Although he is not a very well known figure, we and the animals owe him a great deal. Every humane society that stands up for animals; every animal protection group that gives voice to the voiceless; and the millions of animals who have been saved thanks to the efforts of activists and advocates, are a living legacy to his life. Bergh was one of the first Americans to begin weaving the ideals of animal protection into our jurisprudence, the American psyche, and the fabric of American life.His influence cannot be overstated, but even during the course of his life, Bergh saw trouble ahead. Indeed, Bergh often worried about the future of the ASPCA, stating, “I hate to think what will befall this Society when I am gone.” It didn't take long for Bergh's worst fears to come true. Shortly after his death, and against his express instructions, the ASPCA traded in its mission of protecting animals from harm for the role of killing them by agreeing to run the dog pound — something that Bergh rejected during his lifetime: “This Society,” he once wrote, “could not stultify its principles so far as to encourage the tortures which the proposed give rise to.” In fact, Bergh's answer was the opposite: “Let us abolish the pound!” But after his death, the ASPCA capitulated and took over the pound, becoming New York City's leading killer of dogs and cats. It was a terrible mistake, one emulated by humane societies and SPCAs nationwide, with devastating results.Unwilling to harm the animals they were supposed to be protecting, animal lovers fled these groups, and bureaucrats and opportunists with no passion for animals or for saving their lives took them over, paving the way for the crisis of uncaring and killing that would define these organizations for well over a century. What began as a nationwide network of animal protection groups devolved into dog and cat pounds whose primary purpose became, and in too many communities remains, killing animals, even when those animals are not suffering. And the mighty ASPCA, once a stalwart defender of animals, became a stalwart defender of killing them, beholden not to animals or furthering their best interest, but to a ruthless fundraising machine enriching itself and its leadership at the expense of its founding mission.When the early founders of the animal protection movement died and their organizations took over the job of killing those they had been formed to protect, a fiery zeal was replaced with a smoldering ember that gave little light or warmth and the humane movement went to sleep. People like the tirelessly devoted Henry Bergh were replaced with individuals who care so little for animals as to allow tremendous cruelty and killing to continue unabated, even when they could use the power their positions afford, and the tremendous wealth of their organizations, to stop it. But after over 100 years of this antiquated and deadly paradigm, the grassroots of the animal protection movement finally woke up and fought back, demanding and winning No Kill solutions, a topic we will turn to in part two of this series.——————This holiday season, please consider giving the gift of a Substack subscription to a friend, family member, or colleague. Doing so allows me to keep writing articles and making podcasts on issues not found anywhere else: This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit news.nathanwinograd.org/subscribe

In part one of this week's episode, the guys discuss the Grammy awards show and winners. Dan gives everyone something to aspire by comparing their collections to the BBC Radio music archives. St Patrick's day just past, so John fills us in on what new with his two favourite Irish bands. And if you listen closely, you may hear a meow or two from Justin's cat. Justin spent a day watching animal movies for Cinema Saves the World. Please take a moment to support Humane Canada who supports local humane societies and SPCAs. Donate here: https://www.canadahelps.org/en/pages/cinema-saves-the-world-humane-canada/?fbclid=IwAR2H6Kcun5oMMsBZUUEduGSq-pAkrVGrLaPYYaiuq8o1ktqE8dOD_pNielg  Check us out on social media here: https://linktr.ee/4taam www.4taam.com 

Blair Lott is the president and co-founder of Rescue Dog Wines. Rescue Dog Wines produces award-winning wines from locally sourced, certified green sustainable Lodi AVA grapes. With wo(man)'s best friend adorning each bottle, 50% of profits go to support rescue dogs, charity organizations, and local SPCAs.Show notes:www.snackimpactpodcast.comRescue Dog Wines:www.rescuedogwines.com/

Show 16: Real Talk and Tears, with the Taiwanese Animal Rescue Superhero, Sean McCormack Today’s Guest SEAN MCCORMACK - Founder of Animal Care Trust ACT Accountant turned animal-rescuer, my guest today is Sean McCormack, founder of the Taiwan SPCA, head of the Animal Care Trust, and an all-round great guy. He’s worked with the likes of Cesar Milan, Ian Dunbar, Jane Goodall and, well, me!  Sean’s rescued thousands of animals, and his sanctuary is currently the home of over 200 dogs and cats - and a flying squirrel. Many are adopted out or released back into the wild, but those who aren’t live happily on the SPCA property—a no-kill shelter.  Unlike many traditional “rescue” centers that primarily take on surrendered pets, Sean actually rescues dogs who’ve been caught in traps, injured by other animals, or just homeless and in bad shape. Sean’s got some amazing and touching stories to tell, so get comfy and take a listen! You’ll Hear About [3:15] How ACT is different from most SPCAs [5:02] Sean’s 12 hour hike to rescue Sandy the dog [14:40]How the animals are helped by the Animal Care Trust  [18:15] Calming fearful street dogs [20:40] Sean’s connection to The Online Dog Trainer [22:15] The journey from accountant in England to a dog rescuer in Taiwan [23:25] Day to day life rescuing animals in Taiwan  [25:10] The benefits of hand feeding  [28:50] How Jane Goodall, and Becky Barron have inspired Sean on his journey [33:15] The power of calm energy around dog’s  [39:20] How we can support Sean’s work  [41:20] What it costs to run a rescue centre like Sean’s  [45:20] Sean’s touching rescue (and human) philosophy    Links & Resources Website: https://actforanimals.org Facebook:  ACT (Animal Care Trust)  https://www.facebook.com/ACTAnimalCareTrust/ Facebook:  Sean McCormack https://www.facebook.com/seanimals Instagram: Act_ For_ Animals YouTube: Watch Sean’s incredible dog rescue—when everyone said it couldn’t be done  

Jessica Burton has been supporting National Cupcake Day™ for SPCAs and Humane Societies since the event began in 2012. In five years, she's managed to raise over $8,000 for animals in need. On this... Through its province-wide network of 50 plus Communities, the Ontario SPCA is one of the largest, most responsive animal welfare organizations in the country, providing care and shelter for tens of thousands of animals every year. The Ontario SPCA is unique amongst animal welfare organizations in Ontario: the Ontario SPCA Act mandates the Society to enforce animal cruelty laws and provides Society Branch and Affiliate investigators with police powers to do so.

Not all animal shelters are the same. In this episode of GOOD DOG, Trish King explains the differences between SPCAs, Humane Societies, and the proverbial dog catcher and touches on aggression in dogs.If you have a question that you'd like answered about your dog, please write to us at GoodDog@SmarterPodcasts.comWe'd love your feedback, please fill out our Listener Survey at GoodDogPodcast.comSmarterPodcasts.com, Delivering Sound Advice.

CliffCentral.com — World Veterinary Day is coming up soon, veterinarian and technical adviser in animal health - Clint Austin, tells us what this day represents. Then dog fighting and dog theft for dog fighting is on the increase in SA, Wendy Wilson from The National Council of SPCAs tells us what we can do to combat this.

Episode 39Dog eating = Lamb beheading = Cat dissectionHello and welcome to Jay Wont darts podcast, where I cover shocking animal treatment worldwide, and that includes Nuclear Free, Gods Own, clean green New Zealand.My intro was from episode 100 of No Agenda.I'd been planing to talk about the topics of this episode for months, I've heard many stories of animal abuse that are all equally shocking, but I wanted to fit them together somehow. I've decided to do this episode now, because animal treatment has been in the New Zealand news. Just today, it was reported a Tongan man living in Auckland New Zealand had killed his dog. This has been on the mainstream news, and will be talked about for weeks to come. Also, a boys pet lamb had its head cut off, and he found it dead. This made national news. I would like to mention another shocking animal story, in America its apparently quite common to dissect cats, actual pussy cats, in high schools and universities. I cant imagine that happening in New Zealand, although its hard to imagine anyone cutting open cats.First the New Zealand stories.Lamb BeheadedThis story was reported on by a Taranaki newspaper, I dont know where exactly this happened, but its somewhere in Taranaki, New Zealand."Pet lamb beheaded in paddock A little boy went out to cuddle his pet lamb and found somebody had cut its head off."Who could do such a sadistic thing?" his mother Mandy Kalin is asking.The Dorset Horn ram lamb was about six months old and had been bottle-reared by the three children. Braith, aged 4 1/2 years, had claimed it for his own and named it Shaun (after the Wallace and Gromit character).On Tuesday evening Braith went out with his dad Jason to feed the animals on their lifestyle block near Eltham. Shaun wasn't running about on his chain."Dad, why has Shaun got no head?" Braith asked. "Why isn't he moving?"Shaun was dead and his head with its little horns was missing. They later concluded the head must have been wrapped in a towel taken from the clothesline, because there was no blood.Nobody was home during the afternoon and Shaun had no fear of humans.Mrs Kalin said she wanted the sick person responsible for the killing "to know that this was a little boy's pet and he made this horrible discovery himself"."I want that person to feel bad about the terrible thing he has done."The kids are petrified. It's not something we can hide from them, we've had to tell them what happened. The other sheep in the paddock, which was also on a chain, wasn't touched. If the lamb had been killed for the meat while they were grazing on the roadside, I could possibly understand it, but not this."It's not something a normal, straight person would ever do."Jason Kalin has told the police he suspects somebody with a grudge was responsible, but can't discuss the details. The police told him there have been no other such incidents in the area."Ok, I feel this story is awful, so do most people. My point is, whats the difference between this baby sheep, and all the other sheep killed in New Zealand every day? That a little boy loved this particular sheep, and that he doesnt cry about all the other sheep in New Zealand who are slaughtered, I dont see that as a big difference. Im not heartless to the child being upset, but to me, this sheep is just one out of many who are horribly killed everyday. This was reported on in mainstream New Zealand news, we can all agree killing a pet sheep is awful. But, these same newspapers will advertise butchers, often I see ads in The Southland Times featuring the latest cheap meat at local butcheries. Theres an ad on the Golden Oldies radio station thats on at work, it has the Beef + Lamb Theme song, that Im told used to be a T Rex song, "dum dum dum we love to boogie", you know what I mean. Now whenever I hear that song, I think of meat. On this particular radio ad, the voice over guy uses a real Southern Bloke voice, he talks "kinda like this mate, a real tough southern bloke, not like those jaffas in auckland mate, nah mate, hes a REAL man who eats meat and drinks speights beer!". The guy mentions the "bloody good meat prices, top quality, you pay, just less". Does anyone else hearing the ad notice the words "bloody" and "meat" the way I do? Its not a nice image, I dont want to buy something thats bloody, or meat. I know its just the kiwi slang, saying somethings "bloody" doesnt mean is dirty, its used like "damn", as in "damn good".Also, how are these prices so low, how can a farmer offer cheaper meat at the same quality? Id assume the easiest way would be to care less about the animals needs, not spend so much taking care of an animal, instead reduce your costs and pass it on to the consumer.This is why I dont agree with Animal Welfare, when the farmers are for Animal Welfare, you know its bad. When people who promote Animal Welfare eat animals themselves, its obvious its not going to eliminate people killing animals, is it? I dont know any Abolitionists who eat meat, so Animal Abolition must be a better, common sense position to take on these issues.Tongan Man cooks his pet dog to be eaten.I happened to hear about this through the TradeMe message board. I'll play a TVNZ news clip about the story.aww isnt that nice, instead of eating their unwanted animals, now they will dump them at animal shelters. Real progress being made.The story has been all over the internet, and I expect it to be bought up in newspapers nationwide in coming days, old media is always late to the party.Basically the issue is, its apparently not illegal what the man did, he killed the dog "humanely", im doing quote movements with my hands as I say that, "humanely", with a bonk on the head. The dog was then cooked outdoors. I've seen photos of the dog, and it doesnt look like it were cooked at all, it has a couple of patches on it, but its not singed black from head to tail, and it doesnt look like it was even gutted. People online are furious, I often go to the Trademe Message board to see what the nation is talking about. On the Trade Me Message Board, you mostly see right wing racist remarks, blaming the government for making everyone too "soft", "everything these days is too PC, all this politically correct bullshit, in my day we beat our kids for reading books and getting smart, and now we have this internet thing and the violent video games have made all the toddlers into Charles Mansons, its those weed smoking hippies in the Green party who are to blaaaaaaaaame". You can never expect a serious discussion on the message board, its an auction site, not a dedicated forum, there are few tools on the forum, and yet it is by far New Zealands most popular local site, and the place people go to talk about politics and whats happening.Im really impressed with the number of people who mention that dogs are no different than any other animal killed to be eaten. Its really made me feel like I have some support, like Im not the only one advocating leaving animals alone. Others have mentioned not eating any animals, but they dont get taken seriously. The other side blames all the Pacific Islanders and Asian people for eating dogs, and they cant seem to get it that when it comes to animals, all men are Nazis as Isaac Bashevis Singer said. I wish I could make them believe me when I say all animals are equal, all should have the right to live their lives, but they seem to deny any similarities. Some arguments I've seen are that "we dont do that in New Zealand", as if we are good people and people overseas who eat dogs are terrible. I dont understand how anyone can say things like that.I also have the SPCAs view on this event, listen to what they talk about, they clearly mention animal WELFARE, and mention how difficult it is to change the law, as it could make all animals un killable. What an awful world that would be, if it were illegal to kill cows and chickens and pigs and sheep and dogs......There we go, confirming animals are legally just peoples property, you own them, and can do anything you want to them. Yet another reason to reject animal welfare, and instead focus on creative vegan education, as the wise sage on NZ Vegan says. Researching this episode I've found other websites that talk about eating cats and dogs. Apparently its common to eat dogs in Tonga. I found one website that had a tourists account of eating dog. I'll read the full post , the website url will be in my notes."Kai Kule – Eating my first dog. October 13 2007Don’t come over for lunch, the dog we planned to eat has run off. We are looking for it.”Mau, the talking chief of the village has arranged for me to “Kai kuli” or eat dog. His cousin has been fattening one up and today was the day.Disappointed I ate lunch with my host family.It was a few hours later that Mau called back. “They found the dog!”My host mom, Sila bounced us over the unpaved road to Mau’s cousin in the four-wheel drive van. We could already smell roasting flesh rising from a hole dug in the back yard. A traditional Tongan umu, it’s fire fueled by coconut husks. All that remained were the coals and red-hot rocks heated by the fire.A heap of steaming intestines lay on a banana leaf before dogs and pigs devoured them. The hide was already gone, only patches of dark hair remain. A bag made fro a leave held the chopped up heart, which along with the head went into the umu.A layer of sticks supported another layer of leaves and an old carpet. Once the carpet covered the hole, one of the men shoveled dirt over it to complete the umu.After a short trip to the beach we returned to the house. The men opened the umu releasing the greasy smell of roast meat. Banana leaves tossed into the yard served a our picnic table as the sizzling carcass was picked up with sticks and dropped in our midst. A few quick hacks with a knife to dismember the dog, a few shakes of salt into piles on the leaves and we were ready to eat.A prayer in Tongan and everyone started to rip into the food with their bare hands. My host mother, Sila, announced that it was a “greasy dog”. I had just taught her the English word a few hours earlier.It took only a few minutes and the ribs lay bare. One of the men ripped open the leaf bag and we all reached in to try the pieces of heart.Grease covered my hands and face. Beneath my nails dog sat dog meat. No – there are no napkins here…This was a great chance to share a cultural experience with some of the men of the village. I now have Mau’s phone number and am comfortable sitting next to him at the Kava circle. I am learning to network in Tonga."Cat Dissection.This article was in the Miami Herald, you can find this story at Miami Herald.comA teen accused of killing 19 cats must be held for 48 hours as doctors conduct a psychological evaluation, a judge ruledAlleged cat mutilator Tyler Weinman is no stranger to feline anatomy -- he dissected the animals last year in class at Palmetto High.That revelation came Monday, the same day a judge ordered Weinman, 18, to stay in jail for 48 hours pending a psychiatric evaluation. He is accused of slaughtering 19 house cats across South Miami-Dade.Palmetto High anatomy teacher Lynn Evans, a self-described animal lover, said she was shocked to learning her quiet former student had been arrested and charged with cruelty to animals.''I don't know how we can bridge the gap between a controlled [classroom] situation, to what this disturbed young man has done,'' Evans said in an interview, adding that about 8,000 of her students have dissected cats during her 24 years of teaching anatomy.The investigation into the mutilated cats -- found strewn throughout South Miami-Dade -- has for weeks riveted South Florida, terrorized pet owners and sparked massive media attention.Weinman was charged Sunday with 19 counts of felony animal cruelty, and 19 counts of improperly disposing of an animal body.Back at Palmetto High, students and staff were still stunned by Weinman's arrest.Anatomy ClassEvans, the anatomy teacher, said that dissecting dead cats -- the packaged corpses are distributed by biological supply companies -- is common because the animals have an internal body structure similar to humans.''Decades of people in the anatomy field have started with dissecting cats,'' she said.Investigators, still chasing leads that could net more arrests, were mum on whether Weinman's classroom training played a role in the teen's alleged crime spree. Prosecutors say they have a suspected motive, but cannot release details.''We are aware that he attended the anatomy class,'' said Von Zamft, who declined to comment further because of the ongoing probe."As I mentioned at the start of this episode, its apparently common in America to dissect cats in high school and university. PETA wrote an open letter to the principal of the boys school. I'll read part of PETA's letter.PETA's Open Letter RE Cat Killer"You may also be aware of the well-established link between animal abuse in adolescence and subsequent violent behavior toward humans. For example, serial killer Jeffrey Dahmer attributed his fascination with murder and mutilation to classroom dissections. In the last interview before his death, televised on Dateline NBC, Dahmer stated, "In ninth grade, in biology class, we had the usual dissection of fetal pigs, and I took the remains of that [pig] home and kept the skeleton of it, and I just started branching out to dogs, cats." According to Dahmer, he enjoyed the excitement and power he experienced when cutting up animals and fantasized about cutting up a human body. This disturbing cycle of violence can be curtailed by instilling respect for animals in students at Palmetto High. A good place to start is to provide them with humane science lessons in place of lessons that teach students to treat animals as "objects" that can be used and abused at will. "In America, companies provide dead cats, sealed in bags, to dissection classes. Large companies do nothing but procure animals, and prepare them to be killed.I'll read from one companies websites, the Carolina company, links are in the notes."Why dissect a cat?Computer-assisted learning and the use of plastinated specimens can supplement dissection, but they cannot give a complete idea of what an organ or organ system is really like. Dissection is the best way for students to obtain knowledge of tissue characteristics, such as strength, composition, color, and texture and to understand the 3-dimensional relationships of organs and organ systems. One of the best specimens to use for exploring mammalian anatomy is the cat. It is large enough for its internal organs (which are much like our own) to be found easily and for its blood vessels to be traced, but not so large as to present special difficulty in storage and handling. Preserved cat specimens are also reasonably priced and readily available.How does Carolina obtain its cats?Animal shelters licensed by the US Department of Agriculture (USDA) supply us with euthanized cats that would otherwise be destined for the landfills were they not reutilized for science classrooms. The USDA, under the Animal Welfare Act, governs the procurement of animals. Carolina is proud to have an outstanding USDA inspection and compliance record, and we are committed to treating all animals in a humane manner."Did you like the words used? "reutilized" is a good one, as in cats had an original purpose, are worthless dead, but oh wait! look! Carolina dead cat company to the rescue! They REUSE dead cats, isnt that great? Very green, Carolina really cares for our environment, because we only have one mother earth you know! Cripes, what a load of trash! Theres no nice way to explain a bunch of kids hacking up kitty cats.I've heard reports from well known sources that many of these preserved cats are infact Mexican pet cats, that vans go about villages with a siren going off, alerting people to bring out cats to be sold. People will trap cats, knowing the van will be doing its rounds soon. These poor mexicans will sell cats for about a US dollar, and then companies that sell the preserved cats, will make much, much more than that. I've seen these preserved cats selling for about 50 US dollars, thats about 70 dollars NZ lets say. A lot of money really, there are some kits for a full classroom that are over 500 US dollars. Im told the cats are drowned, then are injected with preserving fluids, they are drained of blood and have resins injected into their ateries etc to make them more visible, easy for teachers to point out to students, as the cats are hacked at.Carolina has a website where you can buy cats, dogs, and fetal pigs. They sell preserved sheeps organs, although i didnt see any full preserved sheep for sale.Do you know what I find so odd about this? That Carolina is so open about what they do, as if this is totally normal, to be cutting up cats and dogs who were abandoned at animal shelters, left to die. They even have a Twitter account, shocking huh?http://twitter.com/CarolinaBioThey have over 50 people following them.In america, I'm told over 100,000 cats are dissected every year. Included in my notes are graphic pictures of how the cats are stored in bags, legs all stretched out as if in pain, and how they are cut up. I really hope you will look at these upsetting photos, because it really puts everything into perspective. Its all well and good talking about these problems, but I believe that these photos will really move you, its so obviously a cat in the photos, no different than all the other cats people have as pets. Looking at photos of animal abuse lets people decide for themselves whats happening, theres not any bias passed on by a story teller, instead you see the event frozen in time, as a photo.I hope you've listened all the way through this episode, I know its a difficult topic. I wish people would see that cats, dogs and other pets are no different than any other animal, as these stories appear in the mainstream media, I hope to promote veganism. So far, I've only been met with ridicule, with people telling me Im nuts for not eating meat, but I'll keep at it, it doesnt take that much effort to be heard online, and if just one person decides to become vegan because of me, then its truly worth my time.Thank you for listening.You can find the script for this episode, as well as downloads for every episode of Jay Wont darts podcast at jaywontdart.blogspot.comIf you want to contact me, even just to say you listened, send an email to jaywontdart@gmail.com, j a y w o n t d a r t @ gmail.com, I'd appreciate it. My outro is from No Agenda 117Have a super happy day, bye.Sources========Tongan man cooks doghttp://tvnz.co.nz/national-news/no-charges-man-barbecued-dog-2919419tv3 videohttp://www.3news.co.nz/SPCA-concerned-after-dog-eating-incident/tabid/572/articleID/116902/cat/41/Default.aspxeating dog in tongahttp://tongaadventure.blogspot.com/2007/10/kai-kule-eating-my-first-dog-oct-13.htmlCat Killerhttp://blog.peta.org/archives/2009/06/does_high_schoo.phpCat dissection photos etchttp://biology.clc.uc.edu/fankhauser/Labs/Anatomy_&_Physiology/A&P201/Cat_Skinning/Cat_Skinning.htmCarolina dead cat supply company (my words)http://www.carolina.com/product/221481.dohttp://www.carolina.com/category/teacher+resources/dissection+activities+and+resources/cat+dissection.dohttp://www.carolina.com/product/455572.dohttp://bio.bd.psu.edu/cat/cat dissection factshttp://www.sniksnak.com/aavs3.htmlPETA letter, from PETACat Killer news stories from Miami Herald,

Clean, white, wholesome milk, cream, butter, cheese, yogurt and ice cream - very common ingredients within the diet of Canadians. On part II of the Deceivable Dairy series, we look deeper into the dairy industry and explore the politics of production, trade and animal welfare. The welfare of dairy cattle was explored during part I of the series, but the framework for regulating and monitoring the welfare of animals in this country may shock you. Canada's dairy industry is one of three industries that operate under a supply management system. The system is one of the last remaining protections for Canadian farmers to the threats posed by cheap imports. We have seen how the heavily subsidized agricultural sectors in the United States and Europe have already threatened farmers here in Canada, and many are now worried that supply management is at risk of being undermined. But supply management has its critics, and they're not just the big industrial processors. In an age where local production is essential to combat climate change, the current structure of supply management has created a barrier for farmers to produce milk for their own communities. This broadcast will also take a look at some of the major dairy processors in Canada. As 70% of all Canadian dairy is processed by 3 companies, getting to know these companies is essential when getting to know your milk, cheese, butter and yogurt. Guests Shelagh MacDonald - Program Director, Canadian Federation of Humane Societies (CFHS) (Ottawa, ON) - The CFHS is the national voice of humane societies and SPCAs. They bring together those who work with, and care for animals to promote respect and humane treatment toward all animals. The CFHS plays a crucial role in farm animal welfare in Canada. The CFHS is a founding member of the newly-formed National Farm Animal Care Council. Jan Slomp - Farmer / Alberta Coordinator, National Farmers' Union (NFU) (Rimbey, AB) - Born and raised in the Netherlands, landed as immigrants in Canada with his wife Marian and three children in the spring of 1989. They bought a small dairy farm in Rimbey, central Alberta where their herd of 70-80 cattle are raised on grass. Jan is the Alberta coordinator of the NFU - a national organization that works toward the development of economic and social policies that will maintain the family farm as the primary food-producing unit in Canada.