I guess by now you’ve heard that Humane Society of the United States (HSUS) CEO Wayne Pacelle has resigned after having been accused of sexual harassment. No? You can read all about it here, here, and here. You can also read the HSUS press release statements here and here. Several years ago I complained that even […]
I’ve been doing some serious soul-searching. I’ve never been a trusting sort, and Tuesday reminded me yet again that people are not to be trusted. That said, I no longer have it in me to fight. If you do, more power to you. Me, I’m done. Instead I’m going to enjoy my days. After all, […]
For my upcoming birthday I decided to give myself a tour of Big Cat Rescue. I’ve always wanted to see the sanctuary for myself, and so I did. I have to say, it was not what I expected. Oh, not the rescue itself. The 60 acres are well-maintained and give the resident cats places both […]
According to the US Fish and Wildlife Service, Florida has more nonnative reptile and amphibian species than anywhere else in the world.There are more non-native lizards breeding in Florida than native ones. The US suffers an estimated $120 billion in damages each year from non-native species. You were all excited about the possibility of winning a couple […]
I am pleased to report that starting in 2016 the FBI will begin tracking cases of animal cruelty. The four categories of cases to be tracked include neglect, intentional abuse and torture, organized abuse (dogfighting, cockfighting), and animal sexual abuse. This is huge! Despite mental health professionals having said for years that animal cruelty is […]
Americans got a crash course in exotic animal ownership in 2011 when Zanesville resident Terry Thompson released 18 Tigers, 17 Lions, 8 Bears, 3 Cougars, 2 Wolves, 1 Baboon, and 1 Macaque he owned before killing himself. People around the world watched in disbelief and horror as those animals were hunted down and killed by law enforcement, but really […]
We now know that the hunter who lured Cecil the lion away from Zimbabwe’s Hwange National Park using a dead animal tied to a vehicle, put a spotlight on him, shot him with a cross-bow, tracked the injured Cecil for 40 hours, then shot him with a rifle, skinned him, and cut of his head, is none other […]
Here’s an update on the Lake County Animal Shelter Media Frenzy. . Wednesday I told you about Lake County Florida’s Sheriff Gary Borders fired Animal Services Director Jacquelyn Johnston after 147 animals were sheltered during her 9-day tenure. Today Ms. Johnston fired back with a letter penned by her attorney that accused shelter supervisor Jennifer Ferguson for […]
Lake County, Florida, has an animal shelter problem. The shelter had traditionally been a high-kill shelter, and had, in the past, taken little action to rectify the situation, to the consternation of the community. The shelter had been through two directors recently. But on October 1st, Sheriff Gary Borders’s office took control of the shelter, […]
Ohio has an exotic animal problem. Yep, they still have problems, even after Zanesville and the so-called revamping of laws addressing exotic animal ownership. So what happened this time? Tiger Ridge Exotics owner Kenny Hetrick failed to file for a permit in a timely manner. State agriculture department inspectors also found safety problems, including inadequate fencing […]
Dogpaddling Through Life 