My OperaIt's Never Going to be the Same Without Him
Monday, July 26, 2010 10:46:18 AM
As I travel forward through time, each day becomes more difficult without my beloved Spots. He took a significant part of my heart with him when he passed away.
The joy I had knowing him, has left me a far better person on so many levels because I learned how to move through life in the moment without concern for tomorrow. He taught me trust, faith, contentment, and a love I never knew before he came to me. It's the missing him part that I'm having trouble get through.
In the spirit of Spots, I am beginning my promise to him by continuing his mission of healing and intervention for abused and neglected animals. So, here goes my first post without him on my lap.
How Do I Help Prevent Animal Abuse?
Let's make animal abuse everyone's problem
The poor dog chained in your neighbor’s backyard looks underfed.
The man next door beats his dog whenever it digs a hole in the yard or chews on the lawn furniture.
You witness a neighbor's child put his cat in a box and then kick it around the yard.
What can you do?
Plenty! Follow the steps below to help stop animal abuse and neglect.
Step 1: Evaluate the Situation
ANIMAL NEGLECT
http://image3.examiner.com/images/blog/wysiwyg/image/hoarder2.jpg
Maybe it only looks like neglect. Look more closely at different times of day.
Maybe the food and water bowls are kept inside, away from bugs and freezing temperatures. Maybe your neighbor goes to work at 3 a.m. and feeds the dog then. Maybe there’s a dog door you can’t see.
Here are some sure signs of animal neglect:
Collar too tight
Not increasing the size of a collar as an animal grows causes injury, strangulation and death.
Dog in need of grooming
Lack of grooming
Without regular grooming, a pet, especially a long-haired one, can get massive matting and sores.
Mange
Mange, caused by tiny parasites, leads to itching, loss of hair and sores from scratching and biting to relieve the irritation. Mange is easily treated with medicated baths.
Malnourished dog - starvation
Starvation is caused not only by lack of food, but also by improper food, untreated disease and parasites (like worms).
ANIMAL ABUSE
It’s easier to recognize physical abuse when you see choking, setting tails on fire, dunking heads under water, kicking and hitting.
If you see such a thing, you'll probably be outraged and want to confront the abuser. Avoid that impulse, unless you're positive that a friendly, informal chat will make that person more caring toward his pet.
If you can safely take photos or video of the incident, do so. This firm evidence is invaluable to investigators.
In the case of a child abusing an animal, the parent may be unaware of the behavior. But because animal abuse has been linked with other types of abuse in the home -- namely child abuse -- it's better to let the authorities investigate.
Pets in Protective Orders
There is a growing public awareness of The Link between domestic violence and animal abuse. Legislatures nationwide are considering bills that would include companion animals in protective orders, and several states have enacted such bills into law.
Each year, defenseless pets face the grim reality that they will be victims of domestic abuse. American Humane knows that individuals who abuse animals rarely stop there. Human victims -- adults and children alike -- often feel they have no choice but to remain in violent households in order to avoid harm to their pets.
How Do I Help An Animal?
Step 3: Understanding the Law
Anti-cruelty laws vary from state to state, and sometimes from city to city or county to county. The legal definitions of abuse, neglect or appropriate conditions may differ. The penalties for animal abuse may also differ.
Fortunately, society has begun to recognize animal abuse as part of the cycle of violence and is calling for stronger penalties against abusers and more powerful enforcement capabilities. As a result, many states have added felony penalties to their anti-cruelty laws.
If you have questions about how the case will progress through your legal system, talk to the investigating officer or read the laws yourself.
Understand that once you have reported potential animal abuse or neglect, the investigating officer may not be able to discuss the specifics of the case with you. But that does not mean he’s not working on it.
How Do I Help Prevent Animal Abuse?
Step 4: Help Prevent Animal Abuse
The key to preventing neglect is education. Many owners just aren't aware of how important affection is to a pet or even that a puppy can outgrow her collar.
The key to preventing abuse is stronger anti-cruelty laws -- laws that empower effective enforcement and include harsh penalties. Serious penalties can inhibit cruelty and, with the addition of counseling as a penalty, can stop the incidents from being repeated by offenders.
You can help prevent these cruel acts by informing others about what to do if they see such an act or by helping them to better understand how to train and care for their pets.
To do this you can:
* Schedule a speaker from your local humane agency to talk at your church or any clubs you belong to. Do the same for any children's groups, like scout groups, day-care centers, and schools.
* Set up a brown-bag lecture series at your office, conducted by a humane agency, on pet care, basic behavior solutions, and animal welfare issues.
* Get pet care and behavior pamphlets from your humane agency to distribute to any of your coworkers or friends with new pets.
* Put together packets of treats and a pet-care book or video to give to friends who've just gotten a new pet. Include spay/neuter information, tags, and a vaccination record book. Obedience lessons make a great gift for a new puppy.
* Support any initiatives to strengthen your state's anti-cruelty laws.
* Write to your paper and TV station whenever animal cruelty stories appear. Tell them you support strong penalties for these abusers.
* Contribute to or volunteer at your local shelter, where they must deal with these appalling situations regularly.
Now when you see a neglected or abused animal, you can take action. Don't hesitate. Your call could save a life.
Fact Sheets
Tips for Reporting Internet Animal Abuse
The Internet can be a powerful medium for connecting us to information to combat animal cruelty, but it also can be a haven for animal abusers who celebrate and actively advertise their shocking crimes. The best way to stop this type of abuse is to immediately report it to the proper authorities and to refrain from contacting, visiting or forwarding links to the offending sites.
Why is it important to report suspected Internet animal cruelty?
Reporting any type of suspected animal cruelty may save animals’ lives as well as people’s lives. When animals are abused, people are also at risk. The Link® between animal abuse and other forms of societal violence is well-documented. That is why it is critical to immediately report conduct on the Internet that you suspect may be -- or that you know is -- animal abuse.
If I see animal cruelty on the Internet, what should I do?
* Immediately contact the Internet Crime Complaint Center (IC3), a partnership between the FBI and the National White Collar Crime Center, at http://www.ic3.gov/. The website will direct you to the page where you can file your complaint. At first glance, it may appear that the website will only consider complaints of Internet monetary fraud. However, IC3 is the proper venue for all Internet crimes, including animal abuse.
* IC3 can best process your complaint if the information you provide is as detailed and complete as possible. This includes providing the complete URL (website address) for the website that displayed the suspected animal cruelty.
* Even if you are located outside the United States, IC3 will review your report as long as the suspected abuser is located in the United States.
What happens after I file a report with the IC3?
* IC3 will email your report ID and password to you, along with a link to an area on the IC3 website where you can view your report and enter any additional information.
* Upon receipt of your report, IC3 will carefully evaluate it and refer it to the appropriate federal, state, local or international law enforcement or regulatory agencies. Every report that is referred is sent to one or more law enforcement or regulatory agencies that have jurisdiction over the matter. At that point, the report may be assigned to an investigator. IC3 cannot guarantee that your complaint will be investigated.
What else can I do?
* Because abusive content often violates the user agreement that the creator of the website has signed with the Internet Service Provider (ISP), notifying the ISP about the abusive content may result in the website being removed from the Internet.
* To make a report to the ISP, you need to determine who hosts the website. To do that, go to http://www.domaintools.com/, enter the website URL in the “Whois Lookup” search box and click on the search button. Scroll down the results page until you find the numerical Internet Protocol (IP) address assigned to the website. Then go to http://www.arin.net/ (American Registry for Internet Numbers) and enter that IP address in the “Search WHOIS” box and click on the search button. The search results page will provide information about the ISP that hosts the website. The page also might display information about how to report abuse. If it does not, go to www.search.org/programs/hightech/isp and find the complete contact information for the ISP on the list. All of this information should also be included in your FBI complaint form, where possible.
* If you believe an animal is in immediate harm, and if the location is known, contact local police and your local FBI branch office as soon as possible. To locate your local FBI branch, visit http://www.fbi.gov/contact/fo/fo.htm.
How does the law currently handle Internet animal cruelty?
Because communications through the Internet have the ability to cross state lines, the Internet is largely governed by federal law. Improving the federal laws as they pertain to Internet animal abuse is critical. Currently, only a few federal laws address the issue directly:
* The Crush Act (P.L.106-152) penalizes the display of acts of cruelty and sexual abuse of animals that is intended for interstate commerce. If convicted, offenders may receive up to five years in prison or a large fine. Two criteria must be met before this statute applies: 1) actual abuse must occur and 2) the website in question must intend to sell the images across state lines. In other words, a website may legally display images of animal cruelty and sexual abuse under this law as long as it is not charging visitors for access or otherwise selling the images. In 2005, the first conviction under this statute occurred in a federal district court in Virginia.
* The Animal Fighting Prohibition Enforcement Act (P.L. 110-27) strengthens the ability of law enforcement to combat animal fighting by providing felony penalties for interstate commerce, import and export related to animal fighting activities, including commerce in cockfighting weapons. Each violation of this federal law is punishable by up to three years in prison and up to a $250,000 fine for perpetrators.
* Internet Hunting: The Computer-Assisted Remote Hunting Act (H.R. 2711/S. 2422) is a pending federal bill introduced by Rep. Brad Sherman (D-CA) and Sen. Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI). It seeks to prohibit knowingly making available a “computer-assisted remote hunt” (using a computer or other device, equipment or software to control the aiming and discharge of a weapon to hunt).
***Remember: Animals Can't Speak & Cannot Protect Themselves. They Need Your Voice & Your Help.[/B][/FONT][/COLOR]
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The joy I had knowing him, has left me a far better person on so many levels because I learned how to move through life in the moment without concern for tomorrow. He taught me trust, faith, contentment, and a love I never knew before he came to me. It's the missing him part that I'm having trouble get through.
In the spirit of Spots, I am beginning my promise to him by continuing his mission of healing and intervention for abused and neglected animals. So, here goes my first post without him on my lap.
How Do I Help Prevent Animal Abuse?
Let's make animal abuse everyone's problem
The poor dog chained in your neighbor’s backyard looks underfed.
The man next door beats his dog whenever it digs a hole in the yard or chews on the lawn furniture.
You witness a neighbor's child put his cat in a box and then kick it around the yard.
What can you do?
Plenty! Follow the steps below to help stop animal abuse and neglect.
Step 1: Evaluate the Situation
ANIMAL NEGLECT
http://image3.examiner.com/images/blog/wysiwyg/image/hoarder2.jpg
Maybe it only looks like neglect. Look more closely at different times of day.
Maybe the food and water bowls are kept inside, away from bugs and freezing temperatures. Maybe your neighbor goes to work at 3 a.m. and feeds the dog then. Maybe there’s a dog door you can’t see.
Here are some sure signs of animal neglect:
Collar too tight
Not increasing the size of a collar as an animal grows causes injury, strangulation and death.
Dog in need of grooming
Lack of grooming
Without regular grooming, a pet, especially a long-haired one, can get massive matting and sores.
Mange
Mange, caused by tiny parasites, leads to itching, loss of hair and sores from scratching and biting to relieve the irritation. Mange is easily treated with medicated baths.
Malnourished dog - starvation
Starvation is caused not only by lack of food, but also by improper food, untreated disease and parasites (like worms).
ANIMAL ABUSE
It’s easier to recognize physical abuse when you see choking, setting tails on fire, dunking heads under water, kicking and hitting.
If you see such a thing, you'll probably be outraged and want to confront the abuser. Avoid that impulse, unless you're positive that a friendly, informal chat will make that person more caring toward his pet.
If you can safely take photos or video of the incident, do so. This firm evidence is invaluable to investigators.
In the case of a child abusing an animal, the parent may be unaware of the behavior. But because animal abuse has been linked with other types of abuse in the home -- namely child abuse -- it's better to let the authorities investigate.
Pets in Protective Orders
There is a growing public awareness of The Link between domestic violence and animal abuse. Legislatures nationwide are considering bills that would include companion animals in protective orders, and several states have enacted such bills into law.
Each year, defenseless pets face the grim reality that they will be victims of domestic abuse. American Humane knows that individuals who abuse animals rarely stop there. Human victims -- adults and children alike -- often feel they have no choice but to remain in violent households in order to avoid harm to their pets.
How Do I Help An Animal?
Step 3: Understanding the Law
Anti-cruelty laws vary from state to state, and sometimes from city to city or county to county. The legal definitions of abuse, neglect or appropriate conditions may differ. The penalties for animal abuse may also differ.
Fortunately, society has begun to recognize animal abuse as part of the cycle of violence and is calling for stronger penalties against abusers and more powerful enforcement capabilities. As a result, many states have added felony penalties to their anti-cruelty laws.
If you have questions about how the case will progress through your legal system, talk to the investigating officer or read the laws yourself.
Understand that once you have reported potential animal abuse or neglect, the investigating officer may not be able to discuss the specifics of the case with you. But that does not mean he’s not working on it.
How Do I Help Prevent Animal Abuse?
Step 4: Help Prevent Animal Abuse
The key to preventing neglect is education. Many owners just aren't aware of how important affection is to a pet or even that a puppy can outgrow her collar.
The key to preventing abuse is stronger anti-cruelty laws -- laws that empower effective enforcement and include harsh penalties. Serious penalties can inhibit cruelty and, with the addition of counseling as a penalty, can stop the incidents from being repeated by offenders.
You can help prevent these cruel acts by informing others about what to do if they see such an act or by helping them to better understand how to train and care for their pets.
To do this you can:
* Schedule a speaker from your local humane agency to talk at your church or any clubs you belong to. Do the same for any children's groups, like scout groups, day-care centers, and schools.
* Set up a brown-bag lecture series at your office, conducted by a humane agency, on pet care, basic behavior solutions, and animal welfare issues.
* Get pet care and behavior pamphlets from your humane agency to distribute to any of your coworkers or friends with new pets.
* Put together packets of treats and a pet-care book or video to give to friends who've just gotten a new pet. Include spay/neuter information, tags, and a vaccination record book. Obedience lessons make a great gift for a new puppy.
* Support any initiatives to strengthen your state's anti-cruelty laws.
* Write to your paper and TV station whenever animal cruelty stories appear. Tell them you support strong penalties for these abusers.
* Contribute to or volunteer at your local shelter, where they must deal with these appalling situations regularly.
Now when you see a neglected or abused animal, you can take action. Don't hesitate. Your call could save a life.
Fact Sheets
Tips for Reporting Internet Animal Abuse
The Internet can be a powerful medium for connecting us to information to combat animal cruelty, but it also can be a haven for animal abusers who celebrate and actively advertise their shocking crimes. The best way to stop this type of abuse is to immediately report it to the proper authorities and to refrain from contacting, visiting or forwarding links to the offending sites.
Why is it important to report suspected Internet animal cruelty?
Reporting any type of suspected animal cruelty may save animals’ lives as well as people’s lives. When animals are abused, people are also at risk. The Link® between animal abuse and other forms of societal violence is well-documented. That is why it is critical to immediately report conduct on the Internet that you suspect may be -- or that you know is -- animal abuse.
If I see animal cruelty on the Internet, what should I do?
* Immediately contact the Internet Crime Complaint Center (IC3), a partnership between the FBI and the National White Collar Crime Center, at http://www.ic3.gov/. The website will direct you to the page where you can file your complaint. At first glance, it may appear that the website will only consider complaints of Internet monetary fraud. However, IC3 is the proper venue for all Internet crimes, including animal abuse.
* IC3 can best process your complaint if the information you provide is as detailed and complete as possible. This includes providing the complete URL (website address) for the website that displayed the suspected animal cruelty.
* Even if you are located outside the United States, IC3 will review your report as long as the suspected abuser is located in the United States.
What happens after I file a report with the IC3?
* IC3 will email your report ID and password to you, along with a link to an area on the IC3 website where you can view your report and enter any additional information.
* Upon receipt of your report, IC3 will carefully evaluate it and refer it to the appropriate federal, state, local or international law enforcement or regulatory agencies. Every report that is referred is sent to one or more law enforcement or regulatory agencies that have jurisdiction over the matter. At that point, the report may be assigned to an investigator. IC3 cannot guarantee that your complaint will be investigated.
What else can I do?
* Because abusive content often violates the user agreement that the creator of the website has signed with the Internet Service Provider (ISP), notifying the ISP about the abusive content may result in the website being removed from the Internet.
* To make a report to the ISP, you need to determine who hosts the website. To do that, go to http://www.domaintools.com/, enter the website URL in the “Whois Lookup” search box and click on the search button. Scroll down the results page until you find the numerical Internet Protocol (IP) address assigned to the website. Then go to http://www.arin.net/ (American Registry for Internet Numbers) and enter that IP address in the “Search WHOIS” box and click on the search button. The search results page will provide information about the ISP that hosts the website. The page also might display information about how to report abuse. If it does not, go to www.search.org/programs/hightech/isp and find the complete contact information for the ISP on the list. All of this information should also be included in your FBI complaint form, where possible.
* If you believe an animal is in immediate harm, and if the location is known, contact local police and your local FBI branch office as soon as possible. To locate your local FBI branch, visit http://www.fbi.gov/contact/fo/fo.htm.
How does the law currently handle Internet animal cruelty?
Because communications through the Internet have the ability to cross state lines, the Internet is largely governed by federal law. Improving the federal laws as they pertain to Internet animal abuse is critical. Currently, only a few federal laws address the issue directly:
* The Crush Act (P.L.106-152) penalizes the display of acts of cruelty and sexual abuse of animals that is intended for interstate commerce. If convicted, offenders may receive up to five years in prison or a large fine. Two criteria must be met before this statute applies: 1) actual abuse must occur and 2) the website in question must intend to sell the images across state lines. In other words, a website may legally display images of animal cruelty and sexual abuse under this law as long as it is not charging visitors for access or otherwise selling the images. In 2005, the first conviction under this statute occurred in a federal district court in Virginia.
* The Animal Fighting Prohibition Enforcement Act (P.L. 110-27) strengthens the ability of law enforcement to combat animal fighting by providing felony penalties for interstate commerce, import and export related to animal fighting activities, including commerce in cockfighting weapons. Each violation of this federal law is punishable by up to three years in prison and up to a $250,000 fine for perpetrators.
* Internet Hunting: The Computer-Assisted Remote Hunting Act (H.R. 2711/S. 2422) is a pending federal bill introduced by Rep. Brad Sherman (D-CA) and Sen. Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI). It seeks to prohibit knowingly making available a “computer-assisted remote hunt” (using a computer or other device, equipment or software to control the aiming and discharge of a weapon to hunt).
***Remember: Animals Can't Speak & Cannot Protect Themselves. They Need Your Voice & Your Help.[/B][/FONT][/COLOR]
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Lovinmalamuteslovinmalamutes # Tuesday, July 27, 2010 2:52:00 PM
Spots may not be here with us any longer, but his fight against abuse and neglect for animals will continue on.
I am one of many who will continue to fight wherever and whenever I can. NO animal should be abused or harmed in anyway. Those who do these atrocities should be punished to the fullest extent of the law. And the laws should be toughened to fit the crimes.
I have you and your hubby in my prayers.
Spots # Wednesday, July 28, 2010 6:36:38 AM
How are you and hubby doing now that he is retired? Make the most out of each and every day and live to the fullest you can. Just love each other and enjoy each other.
Love always,
Di