Animal House

If you're one of those people who gets terror-struck at bringing a young puppy over your threshold into the real world, for fear that he will be struck down with some malady, read this recent column. It talks about how early socialization -- before the 12- to 14-week mark, not after -- is absolutely crucial for a well-adjusted puppy. And the greater risk, say experts, is in under-socializing -- not under-vaccinating.

"Shock and awwww" was the headline for the story I did on tattooed animal lovers Rescue Ink, and ain't it the truth. This band of tough-talking, soft-hearted rescuers say they gets dozens of e-mails about Vivi the missing whippet, even today. Read it and weep -- for joy.

I was about to shut off the computer here at the paragraph factory and go outside into the unseasonably warm day (or what's left of it) when I got this email.

Emma's story made me stop. Maybe you will, too.

CONTACT: DIANE -HOPE4DOGS@OPTONLINE.NET

~PLEASE CROSSPOST ~

SEE PIX !

ALL SHE HAS KNOWN IS PAIN AND TORTURE

LOOKING AT HER PICTURES, IT IS HARD TO FATHOM THAT SHE WAS USED AS A BAIT DOG.

EMMA IS A PRETTY PITTIE MIX ABOUT 4 YEARS OLD WITH PERFECT BLACK AND WHITE MARKINGS ( MUCH LIKE A BOSTON TERRIER'S).

SHE HAS A BEAUTIFUL SOUL, BUT HER LIFE HAS BEEN A BRUTAL AND UGLY ONE.

SHE WAS FORCED TO BREED AND ALSO TURNED INTO A BAIT DOG

*SHE ARRIVED AT THE SHELTER WITH MULTIPLE BITE WOUNDS*

*HER TEETH HAVE BEEN FILED OFF !*

25 % OF HER TONGUE IS MISSING :-(

SHE IS SO FRIGHTENED SHE DOES NOT *WALK* IN THE PRESENCE OF PEOPLE;
BUT RATHER, SHE DOES A VERY TIMID COWERING CRAWL.

(NO- WE ARE NOT EXAGGERATING, THE DOG WILL NOT WALK OUT OF FEAR)

WHEN SHE SEES A DOG- ANY DOG- SHE GOES BELLY UP IN AN AUTOMATIC ACT OF SUBMISSION.

EMMA IS SCARED OUT OF HER MIND AND YET DESPITE IT ALL?

SHE HAS SHOWN A GENTLE, LITTLE GIRL SIDE TO HER ADVOCATE; OFTEN CRAWLING AGAINST HER AND UNDERNEATH HER, FOR PROTECTION.

THE MONSTER(S) THAT HAD EMMA TOOK EVERYTHING THEY COULD FROM HER,USING & ABUSING HER, FOR THEIR GAIN.

BUT THE ONE THING THEY DID NOT TAKE-
-THOUGH THEY MAY HAVE BROKEN IT-
IS HER SOUL.

EMMA STILL HAS A LOT OF SOUL IN HER, AND IN THE RIGHT HANDS WE DESPERATELY WANT TO SEE HER GENTLE SPIRIT COME BACK TO LIFE.

WE KNOW, THAT ONCE UPON A TIME EMMA WAS PROBABLY A NORMAL, HAPPY AND GENTLE GIRL, THAT PLAYED WITH OTHER DOGS AND WAS EAGER TO PLEASE HUMANS.

(TRAGICALLY THIS STUNNING, GORGEOUSLY MARKED GIRL, GOT INTO THE WRONG HANDS AND THOSE BEAUTIFUL TRAITS IN HER PERSONALITY,
ARE THE SAME TRAITS THAT MADE HER A PERFECT, DEFENSELESS BAIT DOG.)

:-(

EMMA IS HURTING FROM THE TREMENDOUS TRAUMA OF WHAT SHE HAS BEEN THROUGH- BUT DESPITE THIS?

SHE SHOWS NOT ONE MEAN BONE IN HER BODY AND ZERO AGGRESSION.

IT WILL TAKE SOMEONE WITH A LOT OF PATIENCE AND A BIG HEART TO TAKE THE TIME TO HELP HER OVERCOME HER HORRIFIC PAST.

EMMA NEEDS LOTS OF LOVE AND REHAB TO LEARN TO BE A REAL DOG AGAIN.

TO LEARN NOT TO THINK THAT EACH PERSON OR DOG SHE MEETS, SPELLS THE PAIN AND TORTURE OF A BAIT SESSION.

EMMA'S LIFE IS IN DANGER RIGHT NOW.

SHE IS IN A VERY FULL, HIGH KILL SHELTER.

AFTER LIVING IN HELL FOR SO LONG, SHOULDN'T SHE GET A CHANCE TO KNOW THAT LIFE CAN BE GOOD & THAT THERE ARE KIND HUMANS AND FRIENDLY CANINES IN THIS WORLD?

WE THINK SHE IS WORTH IT- BUT HER TIME IS RUNNING OUT.

ALL IT TAKES IS FOR THERE TO BE NO CAGE SPACE AT ALL AND EMMA, LIKE SO MANY DOGS WHERE SHE IS, COULD BE DESTROYED.

PLEASE HELP US SAVE HER FROM DEATH AND PLEASE HELP US HEAL HER SPIRIT.

EMMA KNOWS A LOT ABOUT PAIN AND SUFFERING,

AND NOTHING ABOUT LOVE AND KINDNESS.

DON'T LET EMMA EXPERIENCE ANY MORE HUMAN BETRAYAL,

WE ARE IMPLORING ALL RESCUE PEOPLE AND ORGS FOR HELP WITH THIS GIRL.

WE DON'T WANT HER LAST EXPERIENCE ON EARTH, TO BE THE ULTIMATE BETRAYAL: A SHELTER NEEDLE IN HER FOREARM.

IF YOU CAN HELP EMMA IN ANYWAY- PLEASE CONTACT HER ADVOCATE DIANE IMMEDIATELY AT THIS EMAIL ADDRESS: HOPE4DOGS@OPTONLINE.NET

*PLEASE GIVE DIANE A CHANCE TO GET BACK TO YOU AS SHE FIELDS A LOT OF EMAILS FOR RESCUE*

If you own a companion dog, the question is not if to spay or neuter, but rather when.

Instead of reflexively following the "six month rule," or buying into draconian legislation that would have you snipping your Samoyed at three months old, how about looking at the medical evidence? That's exactly the subject of last week's column, which we hear has even made the rounds to vet students via the AVMA's online newsletter.

Zootoo.com, the networking site for animal lovers, announced the top 20 finalists of its Million Dollar Makeover Contest. Two of them are right here in the metro New York area -- Little Shelter in Huntington and Bobbi and the Strays in Queens.

Zootoo honchos were in town today to tour the two shelters.

If you haven't caught the Washington Post piece about the conflict parents face when deciding whether or not to bring their kids under the big top, it's required reading. And consciousness-raising, too: Is it appropriate to teach children to laugh at bike-riding bears and ball-tossing elephants, much less to condone the often brutal methods employed to teach them?

In late March, the ASPCA appealed to TNT (Turner Network Television) to cancel its upcoming “Greatest Show on Earth” series about -- natch -- the Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey Circus. The animal-welfare group" reminded network executives of the real behind-the-scenes story—that Circus staff regularly abuse and torment performing elephants with bull hooks, chains and other devices."

A friend who is a world traveller recently commented on the absence of cats during a visit last month to Geneva: Compared to Rome, where cat colonies frolick in the ancient ruins of the Coliseum, the Swiss city had kitties, kitties absolutely nowhere.

Now she knows why. A New York Times story about how Switzerland is the only country to still permit the hunting of stray cats, whose fur is used in clothing and blankets. Public pressure is soon expected to put an end to the practice, likely by this summer.

File this under "If It's Free, It's Me":

On Sat., April 5, from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m., the Town of Babylon launches a free spay/neuter program to assist with TNR (trap/neuter/return) of feral cats. Babylon residents can go to Phelps Lane Annex in North Babylon to collect up to five free spay/neuter vouchers for each address, redeemable at Brentwood/Islip Animal Hospital. The town expects to distribute between 400 to 500 vouchers, valid through mid-July.

Babylon Town also has a limited number of new humane traps for residents to borrow; a refundable $60 deposit is required. Town and Last Hope, Inc. volunteers will be on hand April 5 to instruct cat caretakers in the use of humane traps and follow-up feral care.

For further information about the Babylon feral voucher program, call Chris Elton (631-643-9270) at Babylon Town Animal Shelter.