Wednesday, February 29, 2012
THANKS! To all who came out to help us celebrate Holly's accomplishments and COLAA's 30th. Anniversary...we
really surprised her. And special thanks to Laura Lanza with the ASPCA for her wealth of knowledge and presentation
on applying for the many grants available to help rescue animals. Special thanks also to Ken Dancak, formerly with Louisiana
Wildlife and Fisheries, for his update on dog-deer hunting and updates on other matters being considered by LWF.
Please consider joining us on June 30th. in Alexandria for our next meeting!
10:05 pm
Friday, February 10, 2012
HELP SAVE TONY!Click here to sign the petition started by Tony's Friends to get Tony out of the Tiger Truck Stop in Louisiana
now, and to a reputable sanctuary.
11:43 pm
Shame On You Gorham, New York! by Nancy Kay, DVM ©I read the article in the Canandaigua Messenger with
disbelief. It appears that the town of Gorham, New York is rolling out the red carpet for a large-scale puppy mill expected
to house 500 breeding dogs (yes, you read this correctly, there will be 500). The proprietors, Curtis and Jolene Martin are not new to puppy milling.
In fact, they have been previously cited for their work- busted by the USDA for violations such as rodent droppings in whelping
boxes, sick and injured dogs on the premises, and inadequate staffing.Mr. Martin maintains that he is not into
mass breeding just for the money. He states: We
don’t just produce as many puppies as we can, that’s not our goal. Yes, we do have to do that but it’s not
the main reason we’re in it. We’re in it for the animals. Have a look at the minutes from the December 19, 2012 Town of Gorham Planning Board Meeting.
Be forewarned, reading these minutes made me feel sick inside. There was plenty of discussion about numbers of dogs (not to
worry, puppies don’t take up much room), noise prevention (not to worry, the dogs will be housed completely indoors
with plenty of sound-proofing), and composting and burying of dead dogs (not to worry, there will be enough containment so
as to prevent water contamination in the neighborhood). Never once during the lengthy discussion did a single board member
question how the dogs would be exercised, how they would be fed, what size cages would be provided, or how the emotional needs
of the dogs would be met. Was there not a single dog lover in that boardroom? I’m not naïve enough to
believe that what’s happening in Gorham, New York isn’t happening in many other towns throughout the United States.
Perhaps this situation strikes a particularly sensitive nerve because it is happening in the state where I attended veterinary
school and received an extraordinary education. On the one hand New York trains veterinarians to care adeptly and compassionately
for dogs. With the other hand they welcome the abuse of dogs. I suspect that the Gorham town board members have their eyes
focused on the prize. Can you imagine the tax revenue stream from the sale of thousands and thousands of purebred puppies? What can
you do to help stop such madness? If you happen to live in the vicinity of Gorham, New York please contact city and county
officials there to find out what would be needed to change their minds about welcoming the Martins or any other puppy millers
into your community. If you don’t live in or near Gorham, but feel fired up about what is going on there please put that
energy to good use. Puppy mills exist throughout the United States. Learn more about what is happening in your neck of the
woods and begin a letter writing campaign, organize a peaceful protest, educate a classroom of children about puppy mills,
counsel a friend or relative who is ready to purchase a purebred pup on how to find a reputable breeder or rescue organization.
Never ever purchase a pup from a pet store or online site and sight unseen. Feel free to share this blog post. Every little
bit helps. One less purchase from a puppy mill brings us one step closer to their eradication. How do you feel after reading
the minutes from Town of Gorham Planning Board Meeting? If you would like to respond publicly, please visit http://www.speakingforspot.com/blog/?p=3177. Best wishes, Nancy Kay, DVM
8:31 am
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