Emma loves her papa!
CC image via flickr user Vegan Flower (Molly!).
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Hey there lovely people! I have a homework assignment for the dog people in the audience. Don’t worry, it’s short and kind of sweet and won’t distract from your holiday festivities. Dr. Frank McMillan at Best Friends Animal Society is studying human-nonhuman bonding and, as part of his background research, is soliciting stories of love and devotion from those who share their lives with dogs. How do you know that your dog friend loves you? The answer can be short or long-form, simple or multifaceted. Just TELL HIM STORIES! (Always quote His Dark Materials. ALWAYS!)

Here’s the call for submissions, which appeared in the November/December 2011 issue of Best Friends magazine:

BEST FRIENDS NEEDS YOUR HELP

If you have a dog who expresses love toward you, we would like to hear your story.

In a very special new study, we are looking in-depth at the emotions of bonding and affection – love – shown by dogs toward their human companions. For background research, we would like to collect stories of dogs’ expressions of love. The story could be about a single incident of your dog’s show of love and devotion, or the ways your dog demonstrates love within your overall relationship. It could simply be an answer to the question: How do you know your dog loves you? If you would like to share your story, please email it to Dr. Frank McMillan at dr.frank@bestfriends.org.

You may recall that I’ve written about Dr. McMillan’s research previously in this here space; see, e.g. Scientists, Poets, Changemakers and Heroes (Volunteer Opportunities & Action Alerts). (Wow, has it been two years already?) Participating in vegan-friendly research projects such as this is an awesome and fun way to contribute to science. And easy, too!

Dr. McMillan posts notices of current research opportunities in Best Friends magazine, which comes “free” with a $25 donation to Best Friends. (We made a donation in Ozzy’s name for their annual Blessing of the Animals ceremony.) In the future, I’ll try to relay new notices as quickly as possible, for those who don’t get the magazine. Forgetting is easy, since a) I tend to let my subscription lapse and b) the notices are somewhat inconspicuous and easy to miss! But I’ll do better, I promise. This stuff is important, yo!

While we’re doing the bulletin board thing, joyful vegan goddess Colleen Patrick-Goudreau recently posted this notice on her FB page:

Call for vegan experts: I’m building a directory of everything from vegan wellness practitioners (chiropractors, acupuncturists, dietitians, naturopaths, nutritionists, psychologists, nurse practitioners, massage therapists, veterinarians) to vegan cooking class instructor and chefs. Wherever you are, if you are vegan and fall into any of the first categories, please email lisa@compassionatecooks.com so we can include you. If you teach cooking classes or have a catering company or are a personal chef, please email colleendavis@compassionatecooks.com. We need the city and state your in, your name, and your website! PLEASE PASS IT ON!

Also, VegListings is a newish directory for vegetarian and vegan businesses; it might come in handy for shoppers as well as business owners, especially with the holidays fast approaching! In the past I’ve put together social justice-themed buying guides; this year, I briefly considered compiling a list of vegan shops on etsy (love me some etsy!) – and then I stumbled upon the Vegan Etsy Team page, making my idea seem redundant.

…and I hope you will too!

So go, browse, buy (if you can). If not, maybe you’ll be inspired to give gifts crafted by your own two hands this holiday season. It’s fun!

(Image via Herbivore, by way of Vegan Etsy.)

There are several “actionable items” – not quite action alerts, but rather opportunities for participation, if that makes sense – I’ve been meaning to share, but just haven’t had the time to blog about in depth. Rather than neglect these projects altogether, here’s a handy-dandy roundup. Please scan through each item and help out where you can; these virtual volunteer opportunities are perfect for activists who have more extra time than they do money!

1. Science

It really chaps my rotund hide when speciesists claim that animal advocates are “anti-science.” Being all diverse and stuff, I’m sure the animal rights and welfare movements are home to a fair share of science-averse humans, but for the most part, we’re hardly anti-science. On the contrary: many of us harness the power of scientific research to demonstrate that veganism is a healthier alternative to “meat” and dairy consumption; that nonhuman animals can experience complex thoughts and emotions; that our exploitation of nonhumans animals is both unnecessary and harmful; etc., etc., etc. (you get the idea). On the whole, I don’t think we’re any more anti-science than our omni counterparts.

Personally, I love science; once upon a time, I wanted to be a clinical psychologist, specializing in anthrozoology and world vegan (then vegetarian, but wev) domination. I still peruse research articles and scientific journals (of a social nature) on occasion, just for the fun of it. No, it’s not science per se that I take issue with. Rather, I object to the imprisonment, torture, killing and exploitation of sentient, non-consenting animals, usually for redundant and frivolous research.

So I’ve become increasingly interested in “vegan” science, particularly in supporting such endeavors whenever possible. For example, I would love to donate my body to science when I die. The thought of spending my “afterlife” rotting away on a body farm somewhere brings a smile to my face; doubly so if my remains can save a nonhuman animal from being birthed, tortured and killed in the name of science. Oooh, Dr. Brennan, pick me, pick me!

Anyhow, when I saw an ad for research volunteers in the latest issue of Best Friends magazine, I immediately fired off an email to Dr. Frank McMillan to see how I might help. He pointed me to five open surveys, all of which are related to studies he’s conducting at Best Friends (as described here):

Dr. Franklin McMillan has been the director of well-being studies at Best Friends since October 2007. As director of well-being studies, Dr. Frank assesses and studies the mental health and emotional well-being of animals who have endured hardship, adversity and psychological trauma. Through these studies, he hopes to learn what the effects of trauma are – the psychological injuries and scars – and how best to treat them in order to restore to these animals a life of enjoyment rather than one of fear and emotional distress.

He is currently conducting such studies on cats from the Great Kitty Rescue in Pahrump, Nevada – an institutionalized hoarding situation – and the fighting dogs taken from the estate of former NFL quarterback Michael Vick.

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Via the latest issue of Dog’s Life e-newsletter, I found a link to this alarming story, by Steve Dale at www.goodnewsforpets.com: Dump the Dog is Military’s Message to Families with Targeted ‘Bad’ Breeds.

That’s right, folks: breed specific legislation, coming soon to military housing near you:

Lots of dog breeds will no longer be allowed on military housing property, according to new policy announced in a memo stamped January 5 from the United States Department of the Army. According to sources, the directive was approved by the Pentagon just prior to President George W. Bush leaving office.

The subject line of the memo reads: “Pet Policy for Privatized Housing Under the Army’s Residential Communities Initiative Privatization Program. Pit Bulls (American Staffordshire Bull Terriers and English Staffordshire Bull Terriers), Rottweilers, Doberman Pinschers, Chow Chows and wolf hybrids are now banned.” [...]

According to the ruling, dogs of any type who currently live on base can be grandfathered in. However, Lynde points out that families are frequently being asked to re-locate. When they do, they can no longer bring their banned dogs with them. Similarly, new enlistees must leave their dogs at home if they’re indentified as a banned breed.

Then what happens to any banned dogs identified and then forcibly relinquished by transferring military? Lynde says, “No one seems to have that answer.”

With morale already low on military bases, according to Lynde, she believes the ruling has already begun to further impact morale. “What kind of family support is this? I tried to communicate with the Garrison Comander’s Office (at Fort Bragg), but I got nowhere,” she says.

Military families whose members include so-called “dangerous” dog breeds, such as pit bulls, rottweilers, doberman pinschers, chow chows and wolf hybrids (!?) – or any mutt whose lineage includes or even resembles these breeds – may, under the new housing policy, be forced to relinquish their canines. If they’re unable to find a trusted friend or family member to take the animals, presumably they’ll have no choice but to surrender their beloved dogs to animal shelters, where many will be killed for lack of homes.

Simply put, this is a travesty. We already demand far too much of our military members and their families – we send them overseas, to fight and die in capricious, pointless wars; we deny them proper physical and psychological care, both in the battlefield and here at home; we ignore the high rates of sexual assault perpetrated against women in the military; we actively discriminate against gays, lesbians, bisexuals and transgendered persons who want nothing more than to serve their country; we fail to provide care for the non-human members of military families when the caregivers are deployed or on active duty; and now, the U.S. government is attempting to eradicate a targeted segment of their non-human family members, based on nothing other than naked prejudice, stereotypes and hysteria. Shameful, just shameful.

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Seriously. He’s one of those high-falutin’ talking Hollywood Chihuahuas. And he’s a rescue dog, to boot. Kind of blows that “shelter dogs are broken dogs” myth of of the water, no?

Via Best Friends, who notes:

We all know what happens when a new “dog movie” comes out—lots of people decide they must have a dog just like the one in the movie. But what people might not realize is that shelters and groups across the country have plenty of Chihuahuas, for ADOPTION. In fact, Chihuahuas are the 5th most-posted breed of dog for adoption on Petfinder (after Labs, Shepherds, Pit bulls and mixes of those breeds).

Check out our star-studded PSA video (with actors from the movie) that encourages adoption instead of buying.

Watch on the Best Friends website (higher quality)

Watch on YouTube

We wanted to share a poster made by Best Friends that can be easily printed and hung up around your town to let people know that they can rescue a Chihuahua on Petfinder instead of buying one from a pet store, newspaper ad or the Internet. In fact, the star Chihuahua of the movie was rescued from a Moreno Valley shelter, outside of L.A. just days before his “time was up.”

Download poster by clicking this link.

For more information visit our web page: www.dontbuypuppies.com

Feel free to use link to the video on your own websites.

On behalf of the ‘Puppies Aren’t Products’ Campaign Team, thank you for helping us spread word!

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Action Alerts

DawnWatch: Animal Testing — Three famous deaths and a ray of hope 9/12/07
Alex the parrot, Felix the monkey, and Anita Roddick the Body Shop founder who pioneered the mass marketing of animal friendly cosmetics, have died.

Defenders of Wildlife: Protect the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge — Forever
Write your elected officials today and urge them to support the Udall-Eisenhower Arctic Wilderness Act (H.R. 39), a bill that would permanently protect the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge.

Natural Resources Defense Council (NRDC): Protect Yellowstone and the Greater Rockies
Help block drilling in Colorado wildlife refuge

People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA): Dozens of Allegedly Neglected Dogs in Meigs County, Tennessee, Need Your Voice!
PETA has received allegations of serious neglect of numerous dogs at 1627A Sam Davis Rd. in Decatur, Tennessee.

People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA): Tell University of Illinois to Stop Cruel Dog Lab!
Please urge the university to shut down the dog lab and mandate the adoption of FIDO immediately.

(more…)

Action Alerts

Defenders of Wildlife: Don’t Let Great Cats & Rare Canines Vanish Forever
Tell Congress to do its part — and join in the effort to protect these creatures world-wide.

Electronic Frontier Foundation (EFF): Stop the Spying!
Tell the government to stop surveillance of Americans’ communications without a warrant.

People for the American Way (PFAW): Tell Congress: End Warrantless Spying on Americans!
Tell your members of Congress how you feel about the Bush administration’s warrantless spying on Americans.

People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA): ‘Bambi Butchers’ Horror
On August 26, 2007, a PETA investigator filmed the slaughter of deer at Musicon, Inc., a deer farm and venison sales company in Goshen, New York.

Union of Concerned Scientists (UCS): Urge Congress to Hold Strong on a Clean Energy Bill!
Please tell your senators and representative that America’s new Energy Bill must include a 35 mile per gallon fuel economy standard AND a 15 percent renewable electricity standard.

(more…)

Action Alerts

European Coalition to End Animal Experiments (ECEAE): Help Us Stop Primate Experiments. For Good.
We currently have a real opportunity to get a ban on all primate experiments across Europe – but we need your help.

The Foundation for Taxpayer & Consumer Rights (FTCR) / OilWatchdog: Stick It to Big Oil
Send a free fax to your U.S. Senator by clicking here, and ask him or her to support McCaskill’s “Fair Fuel” bill, S. 1997!

Four Paws: Join us in a protest against the ruthless dog mafia in Europe
FOUR PAWS wants to thwart the unscrupulous trade in puppies. Take part! Support our protest and sign our online petition.

In Defense of Animals (IDA): Get Tina and Jewel Out of the Circus
Urge USDA to send suffering elephants to a sanctuary now

In Defense of Animals (IDA): Ask Prosecutor to seek maximum sentencing for animal hoarders
Over 100 Animals Removed from Animal Hoarders’ Home; Supplies needed to care for 68 surviving dogs and cats

(more…)

Action Alerts

Ecological Internet / The Rainforest Portal: Protest Destruction of Colombian Rainforests and Livelihoods to Feed Automobiles
It is gravely unethical and ecologically devastating to expand production of biofuels at the expense of ancient primary rainforests, biodiverse grasslands, local communities and their food sovereignty.

In Defense of Animals (IDA): Police Officer Accused of Killing K-9 Partner
“Take Action” to ask State Attorney to seek maximum sentence

In Defense of Animals (IDA): New York Passes Fur Labeling Legislation
“Take Action” to ask Congress to pass federal fur labeling bill

Newsletters

Best Friends Animal Society: eNews: August 31, 2007
Cats from hoarding situation safe at Best Friends

Dr. Greger’s Pandemic Update: August 2007
World Health Organization Calls Attention to Poultry Intensification; What Are the Odds a Pandemic Will Strike Within the Next Year?

In Defense of Animals (IDA): eNews: August 29, 2007
IDA Action Alerts, Campaign News & Updates

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Action Alerts

Animal Protection Institute (API): Urge USDA to Get Luna and Tonka off the Road
Please contact the USDA today and urge it to step in and require that Ringling Bros. retire Luna and Tonka from travel — for the elephants’ own health and well-being, and for the safety of the public.

Ecological Internet / Climate Ark: Protest Australia’s Ancient Forest Logging and Climate Change Eco-Hypocrisy
Dramatic efforts required to stop the expansion of Tasmanian old-growth forest logging by construction of a massive new paper pulp mill by Gunns Ltd

People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA): Tell the NFL to Recognize Animal Abuse as an Offense Warranting Suspension–and More
PETA is calling on the NFL to add cruelty to animals—in all its forms—to its personal conduct policy.

Newsletters

American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (ASPCA): News Alert: August 24, 2007
ASPCA Applauds Investigation of Vick Case/Pet Food Recall Update

Best Friends Animal Society: eNews, August 24, 2007
Hundreds of orphan pets rescued by Best Friends Network

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Action Alerts

DawnWatch: Los Angeles Times front page on animal cruelty — 8/17/07
The article by John M. Glionna is headed, “A beastly kind of cruelty” and sub-headed, “Drive-by shooters, often youths, are killing farm animals in a growing wave of violence. The culprits may face only vandalism charges.”

Humane Society of the United States (HSUS): Thank the U.S. Attorneys in the Vick Case!
Sign our virtual thank you card for the U.S. Attorneys in the Vick case

People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA): An End to Animal Tests?
It could be a reality, but the agency charged with approving non-animal test methods—including many that are already in use in Europe—refuses to take action.

People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA): Help Remove Tonka and Luna From Travel With Ringling!
PETA is asking the USDA to immediately and permanently remove from travel two reportedly “dangerous” elephants traveling with the Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey Circus.

People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA): URGENT: Ohio Judge Awards Custody of Abused Dog to Dog’s Convicted Abuser
Please ask Judge Robert Lyons to reconsider his decision to return China to Clark, which could put an animal who has already suffered so much in a grave situation.

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