Black Helicopters

Dog fanciers....and yes that includes everyone who fancies their dog, for whatever reason or purpose...must stand together. There were thirty-plus states with restrictive legislation proposed (just in 2009) to limit our ability to own, breed or even simply keep the family dog intact because we so choose.

Unfortunately, there exist too many folks in denial out there who think "oh that'll never happen". Meanwhile, in cities and states all across the nation, the noose of ever-increasing levels of restrictions tightens even as we speak. It is impossible, in the practical sense of the word, to breed dogs legally in  California...unless you are already doing so as a licensed commercial venture. Do you think we reached that state of affairs accidentally?

 

Just google "Murder Hollow Bassets" or read what happened to Bob Attleson's English Setters:
http://www.showdog-magazine.com/Articles/Littleton.html

Just two of the more notorious examples of dogs seized by the Black Helicopters.

Wake up, the coffee is brewing. And the black helicopters are landing on your front lawn.

The AR groups sponsoring all this legislation are relentless and determined in their campaign to eliminate our rights to decide What we can be allowed to do with our dog. Not worried about PETA? Think the HSUS is harmless or even maybe somewhat good? Or think you are exempt because you own a pet/show your dog/pay your fees/comply with limits (Circle your selection) Foolish myope. Couldn't see a helicopter (be it black, white or purple) if it landed on your front lawn...and probably wouldn't hear it either.

Where is everyone?

Four people showed up last night for a protest outside a home in Beverly Hills, where Pedro Nava, candidate for Lieutenant Governor, was holding a fundraiser. If you live in a cave somewhere and don’t know Nava’s position regarding anti-pet legislation (AB 241, anybody?), let me mention a few names from the guest list...Wayne Pacelle, Judie Mancuso, Rolf Wicklund... Need I go on?

Yesterday was the last SatuFour people showed up last night for a protest outside a home in Beverly Hills, where Pedro Nava, candidate for Lieutenant Governor, was holding a fundraiser. If you live in a cave somewhere and don’t know Nava’s position regarding anti-pet legislation (AB 241, anybody?), let me mention a few names from the guest list...Wayne Pacelle, Judie Mancuso, Rolf Wicklund... Need I go on?

Yesterday was the last Saturday before Christmas, and Nava and his buds must have realized a lot of people would have other commitments they couldn't get out of, so I do wonder if the date was a deliberate choice. And yes, I’ll admit I was one of those people, but the event also wasn't announced until a few days ago. Had I known earlier, I would never have accepted an alternate invitation. Believe me, I would LOVE to have been there - I still have the signs from the last one, so I would have been good to go, and the opportunity to sneer at the Navaland chimp and his parasites was hard to turn down.

But FOUR PEOPLE? In the entire Los Angeles area, only four people were willing and able to make the trek to Beverly Hills to fight for the future of our dogs?

It’s amazing to me, and incredibly disappointing, that all those dog show folks who moan about lack of money (but can afford those expensive dog magazine spreads and rising entry fees), or lack of time (but can take time off to get their butts to those dog shows), the ones who have yet to make it up to Sacramento even once (gas prices, ya know), who expect the few of us to handle everything for the rest of them (but don't even donate the cost of membership to the California Federation of Dog Clubs, PetPac, or any of the other groups that are doing so), the ones who will whine and complain the loudest when these laws hit them in the head like a two by four, the ones who, when they're not yapping on about their newest champions, upcoming litters, egotistical handlers, yada yada yada, while sitting ringside, munching on Doritos at their set up, or scouring the vendors for the latest grooming products, are self-righteously insisting they're out there fighting the big fight with the rest of us. Yeah, they've got the flyers, under that old issue of Dog News or Canine Chronicle or the Gazette. And the buttons? Got those too...somewhere in their tack box or on top of their crates or at home behind the grooming table...anywhere but on their lapels.

If it was just about them, I wouldn’t give a crap if they drowned in dog shampoo. What makes me the maddest is, if we lose this war, it will be BECAUSE of these people, the same ones who will blame US for not doing enough.

And while not entirely on the subject, it will be due to the divisive sniping of a few malcontents who apparently get their jollies cutting down the people who are actually in the fight with them.

And that's my sermon for a Sunday morning...

rday before Christmas, and Nava and his buds must have realized a lot of people would have other commitments they couldn't get out of, so I do wonder if the date was a deliberate choice. And yes, I’ll admit I was one of those people, but the event also wasn't announced until a few days ago. Had I known earlier, I would never have accepted an alternate invitation. Believe me, I would LOVE to have been there - I still have the signs from the last one, so I would have been good to go, and the opportunity to sneer at the Navaland chimp and his parasites was hard to turn down.

But FOUR PEOPLE? In the entire Los Angeles area, only four people were willing and able to make the trek to Beverly Hills to fight for the future of our dogs?

It’s amazing to me, and incredibly disappointing, that all those dog show folks who moan about lack of money (but can afford those expensive dog magazine spreads and rising entry fees), or lack of time (but can take time off to get their butts to those dog shows), the ones who have yet to make it up to Sacramento even once (gas prices, ya know), who expect the few of us to handle everything for the rest of them (but don't even donate the cost of membership to the California Federation of Dog Clubs, PetPac, or any of the other groups that are doing so), the ones who will whine and complain the loudest when these laws hit them in the head like a two by four, the ones who, when they're not yapping on about their newest champions, upcoming litters, egotistical handlers, yada yada yada, while sitting ringside, munching on Doritos at their set up, or scouring the vendors for the latest grooming products, are self-righteously insisting they're out there fighting the big fight with the rest of us. Yeah, they've got the flyers, under that old issue of Dog News or Canine Chronicle or the Gazette. And the buttons? Got those too...somewhere in their tack box or on top of their crates or at home behind the grooming table...anywhere but on their lapels.

If it was just about them, I wouldn’t give a crap if they drowned in dog shampoo. What makes me the maddest is, if we lose this war, it will be BECAUSE of these people, the same ones who will blame US for not doing enough.

And while not entirely on the subject, it will be due to the divisive sniping of a few malcontents who apparently get their jollies cutting down the people who are actually in the fight with them.

And that's my sermon for a Sunday morning...

What's the Buzz?

Uncle George Explains Current Events

"What's the Buzz"?

Today, boys and girls, we will learn all about "buzzwords". 


A "buzzword" is a vogue term that is used in popular culture...usually with the intent to impress the naive. My golly goodness! Such a treasure trove of fun buzzwords to choose from and to use in today's popular culture of animal rights! And the general public, being somewhat naive, is easily impressed by these buzzwords.

Modern animal rights thinking defines dogs as family members; just as important as any two-legged kid, and probably a whole lot more deserving of a great life than your human grandparent. From this family concept, we have developed several trendy ideas. Calling our pets "fur kids", for instance. Get it? "Kids"....with "fur"! Isn't that just too precious! Also, we've taken to calling the dog procurement process an "adoption". This makes sense, considering the fact that dogs are now family members.

Next, it follows that pet owners would be tagged as "guardians". This is sort of a buzzword term for a parent.

To review what we've learned so far; dogs are adopted, they become family members, and they are our "furkids", so an owner now becomes a parent or guardian. Oh yes, and don't worry, we are working on getting you some tax deductions for those four-legged kids too!

Now, let's see. You can start off as a "guardian", as a person who owns a pet or two. Or, you might one day find yourself the owner of multiple pets. Now suddenly, you discover that you are outside the boundaries of legal dog limits. When this happens, you become what is known as a "hoarder".  

You know, it's sort of funny; people can have as many two-legged kids as they want, but for some reason, there is a limit on four-legged kids! It's only legal to hoard the two-legged variety. (Also, no permits or fees are necessary).


Remember this fact for the test, boys and girls! You may not hoard dogs! That's a very important part of today's lesson.

Okay, on to the next chapter. When a "hoarder" decides to breed a litter or two, he then becomes what is known in buzzword land as a "Back Yard Breeder." Unfortunately, at this point, the happy family might run into some problems with social acceptance from friends and neighbors.
 
If you work hard enough breeding in your back yard, you just might multiply your numbers into a really big family. Once this happens, you then graduate to a whole new level...You become a  "High Volume Breeder", otherwise known to the state as a Commercial Breeder. But, most of the regular folks around town will just call you a "PUPPY MILL"! And watch out when this happens, boys and girls, because usually this means that your neighbors will start to throw rocks through your windows. Oops!
 
You know, it saves us all a lot of time to call everybody by the same buzzword name. This is one way that we can really simplify life! So let's not call this a family, or a back yard or commercial breeder. That's all just way too complicated! Lets make it simple and just call everyone who breeds dogs a "puppy mill". Hey, if the shoe fits....if you churn out puppies, then you are a puppy mill!


Another way to simplify life...in order to decide how these "puppy mill" people shall be allowed to operate, why, there's no need to bother your pretty little head worrying about how clean the dogs are, or how well they are fed, or how warm they are at night; instead, just count up how many of them there are. Then, make a law that keeps anyone from being a guardian to that many animals. Great idea! I wonder why somebody else hasn't thought of that yet. 


Onward to another important buzzword concept:

"Responsible" owners and breeders are fine.

"Irresponsible" breeders and owners, on the other hand.... Bad. Very bad.


So, we must clearly understand, because this is extra important to everybody looking over your fence...

What is a "responsible dog owner"? 

Hmm, ideally that would be someone who NEVER allows their dog to have puppies, of course! And they must sterilize their dog! But, at the very least, it is someone who licenses, microchips, confines their dog, doesn't let it bark, dig, chew or bite, takes it out for an occasional walk, brushes it, keeps poop picked up, and food and water out at ALL times.....stuff like that.


Got it? Great! Now that we have that description down pat, let's try one that's a bit more difficult. This is for extra credit points, kids. Next question...

What is a "responsible breeder"?


Well, things get a bit muddled here. That particular definition depends on who you ask!   To most everyday folks, a "responsible breeder" is someone who takes good care of their dogs and finds nice homes for their puppies. Sounds reasonable? Well, not to everybody!

To purebred dog fanciers, that's not quite good enough. To be considered a "responsible breeder" you would need to do all the "responsible owner" stuff, plus register your dog, join a club, go to dog shows, and make sure your furchild becomes an official "Champion". (That's buzzword talk for "my dog's better than your dog.") Also, you need to make sure you spend a lot of money at the vet doing testing. You must put your dog's health history in a public computer database. And, if you ever breed a puppy that eventually develops a health problem; well, you will need to pay a big fine to the new owner. Because... it's All Your Fault. You are, well.....responsible.

And, let's not forget the purebred dog fancier's basic prerequisite for responsible breeding....the dog MUST be PURE bred. You darn sure better not ever mix two breeds together. Or even THINK about breeding a dog that is not purebred. Even health takes a back seat to purity.


Going even further, this group believes that not only are you responsible for your own dogs, but you are responsible to take care of other people's dogs, too. "If you breed, you must rescue", they say. Ah, "rescue"! Another really neat buzzword for an activity that makes us feel much better about how responsible we are!


But, to the govenment, a "responsible breeder" is someone who does all the above PLUS pays lots of money for licenses, vaccines, permits, fees and taxes in order to keep and breed a dog. They must also report new owners to the state so that THEY can also be responsible.

Some people believe that we have a big problem in our country with "pet overpopulation". "Don't breed or buy" they say. To help solve this overpopulation problem, they like to bring rescue dogs into the USA from the Caribbean, Europe, Mexico and even as far away as Taiwan! Hundred of thousands of them, every year! Sometimes, these dogs bring in diseases that we have a shortage of right now...rabies, hepatitis, parasites and distemper.

OK now, if you have paid attention so far to our previous lessons, you will remember that "overpopulation" is a buzzword used by animal shelters as an excuse to kill cats and dogs, rather than find homes for them. This buzzword is also used as a reason to pass more laws regulating breeders. Anyone who misses the question about "overpopulation" on the test will get an automatic "F"!

One final note for the day, boys and girls. And this is very important.  Some people believe that animals have rights, just like people. They frown on any guardian who would actually consider selling their fur children. These animal rights people believe that there is no such thing as a "responsible breeder"! This belief was actually printed on their website promoting a law to force all owners to sterilize their pets. But, these people soon discovered that not too many other people actually agreed with them. So now, they are very careful not to say that out loud any more.

These animal rights folks really don't have a definition of responsible breeder. But, they think it just might be a good idea to come up with one anyway, to help cut back on all breeders in general. My how smart they are! And they keep themselves very, very busy advising the government about how to regulate breeders.... ALL breeders! Mostly, everything hinges on whether or not you are "responsible". With a bit of concern about "overpopulation" thrown in for good measure.


OK now, kids. That was a lot for one lesson, but I'm sure you will ace the test! Buzzwords are really easy to remember! 


I hear the bell ringing....see you next time!

Dog News Editorial

There’s an article in the most recent issue of Dog News. It’s by the editor himself, who should know better. Of the four subjects he discussed, three made me see red.

First, he praises the AKC/Eukanuba show to the rafters as the biggest dog show in the world. Having attended several times (although not this year, so I only saw the horrendous treatment of the agility competitors on youtube - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AXk1e0NgUGc), my very first thought was a stronger variation of “bullpucky.”

First of all, it’s not even a dog show, much less the biggest. OK, so this year they allowed class dogs to compete – well, of course. People came at first because their egos responded to the honor of being in the top 25 of their breed, but they were getting wise to the fact that it’s just a huge commercial for AKC and Eukanuba dog food, and the exhibitors and their dogs are the unpaid cast. And that they were paying airfare, hotel, food, etc., for a show where the likelihood of winning anything was next to nil, but the promotional value of you and your dog being there was huge for AKC and Eukanuba. If you’ve ever been to the show, you can see that it’s one big moneymaker, just like Disneyland. An incredibly expensive catalog (with ads that also cost a fortune – I had one the first year), an annual poster (free to AKC, WITH all rights, by holding an art contest), elaborately decorated Meet The Breeds booths (also free and put together by breed club members at their own expense), vendors who pay exorbitant fees to be there (over two grand), and so on. Bottom line – AKC wanted the money that rolls in to Westminster every year, and on top of everything else, they went to great lengths to pretend the WKC show never existed. It vanished overnight from the AKC site, where it used to be on the front page, replaced by promos for the world’s biggest and only important dog show, before the damn thing even started. They threw all their advertising money into promoting their own show, knowing Westminster couldn’t compete. Money they got from breeders and dog owners who probably think it goes to the promotion and health of the purebred dog. Sound familiar? As in, a bit like HSUS?

Then, the writer waxes on and on about the importance of US shows vs. those in other countries. He bases his opinion on the fact that

“our numbers dwarf the worlds.”

Well, let’s see. Using his figures...1534 all breed shows a year, at an average of 1000 entries a pop. Total of 1,534,000 entries per year. Compared to the UK, which has 32 shows a year and a total of 576,000 entries. Well, hold on a minute. Those 32 shows pull 18,000 entries each. When has the US ever come close to those kind of numbers at an individual show? It would take the US 18 shows to get the numbers the UK gets in ONE. Or look at it another way. The population of the UK is 60 million. US population is 308 million. Given the numbers above, the UK pulls twice as many entries as the US. And that doesn’t include the rest of Europe, where the FCI has something like 83 member countries.

On to subject three, puppy mills. The writer’s first sentence:

“The good news is that there is a large grass roots movement which is intensifying a battle against puppy mills.”

You would think that the editor of a top dog show magazine would know that “puppy mill” is a derogatory term invented, along with other terms, “guardian” being the most obvious, by animal rights activists such as HSUS. In actuality, there are very few genuine puppy mills in the U.S., and most are centered in Missouri and surrounding states, but HSUS propaganda has convinced people that a puppy mill exists around every corner, that any breeder with over ten, twenty, or any arbitrary number, dogs is automatically a puppy mill. But that’s old news. What’s happening now is that the definition is being expanded to include ANY breeder, along with the presumption that anyone who breeds a dog is contributing to that non-existent pet overpopulation. This terminology is designed to kill us all, and by blatantly declaring, in a leading dog fancy magazine, that we are overrun by puppy mills, the writer is giving a huge boost to the very groups that are leading the slaughter.

HSUS...Deception for Dollars

The grossly misnomered "'Humane' Society of the US" is at it again.

Never mind that the HSUS rakes in hundreds of millions of dollars every year, yet doesn't operate a single pet shelter.

Never mind that over 96% of HSUS's income goes to administration, salaries and political lobbying.
 

Forget the fact that despite blatant political lobbying, the HSUS pays no taxes.
 

Never mind that the HSUS fails to use the money it raises during raids and disasters for the care of the affected animals.

Ignore the fact that the HSUS is opposed to no-kill sheltering methods, and often urges animal deaths. 

Never mind that the HSUS leaders come out of radical terrorist animal rights groups such as PETA and the Animal Liberation Front.

All the above facts pale in comparison to the latest HSUS deception. Read on.



 HSUS sent out a mass email this past week entreating donations based upon the plight of "Faye"; a beleaguered pit bull female whose previous owner cut off her lips. Here's the mass mailing that the HSUS sent out:

This is Faye. She survived because of you.

I’ll never forget Faye’s story. I bet you won’t, either.

Our team met her in Missouri, when The Humane Society of the United States helped rescue hundreds of animals from the horrors of dogfighting. She’d been wounded badly in a fight, and a dogfighter had mercilessly cut off her lips. She was in tough shape, but we found her in the nick of time.

Watch our moving video to see Faye’s happy ending — then become a Humane Hero with your monthly donation to our 2010 Animal Survivors Fund.

Faye’s a lucky survivor: She now sleeps in a warm bed in a safe place. To help save thousands of animals just like her in the new year, we’re doing something we’ve never done before, and it’s BIG: We’re hoping to raise a million dollars online by December 31 for our 2010 Animal Survivors Fund.


It’s ambitious — but so are our plans for saving animals next year. We’ll not only continue to help bust dogfighting rings, but we’ll also take on the individuals and industries that profit from animal suffering — from people who club baby seals to death, to those who confine animals in factory farms, to those who abuse dogs in puppy mills.


Your gift of $20.10 a month for 2010 — just 66 cents a day — can help thousands of animals like Faye not just survive, but thrive in the new year. Click here to watch Faye’s video and make your tax-deductible monthly donation today. Thank you for everything you do for animals.




Sincerely,
John Goodwin
Manager, Animal Fighting Campaign
The Humane Society of the United States

Problem?? HSUS never lifted a finger to help Fay. 


Here's the REAL story on Fay.


Comment by Gale - December 3, 2009 @ 9:13 pm

I am rather sad that HSUS has chosen to use Fay (not Faye) in their fund drive.

Fay has never received a dime from HSUS.

How do I know?

Because I am the one that is fostering Fay. Fay is currently going through expensive surgeries to recreate medically needed lips so her teeth do not fall out, her jaw bone stops deteriorating, and she can live a normal life.

HSUS never contacted us regarding Fay.

In the video John (Goodwin) states she is in a loving home. really. thanks for the compliment but Fay is LOOKING for her forever home.

If you really want to help Fay, please go to our website, http://muttsandstuff.com and click on the donate now button. If you want to help the other 35 dogs we took with our own health issues..please donate. We are a small group that can use the help.

 (Source: PetConnection blog: http://tinyurl.com/yj83wnc)

No surprises here. HSUS LIES yet again. Can't even get the name of the dog right!

The HSUS has a long track record of deception for dollars. Remember the Vick dogfighting case? HSUS sent out mailers requesting money, supposedly to care for the Vick dogs, yet never had possession of them. Incredibly, the HSUS actually urged the judge in the Vick case to kill the dogs in question.

Sick, evil, twisted, malicious, hypocritical....there aren't words to properly describe the HSUS.

Humane? NOT! Insane, perhaps?

The HSUS is not as crazy as they are crafty. The HSUS is conducting an ongoing aggessive nationwide campaign to limit animal ownership. In 2009, they sponsored anti-animal ownership bills in over 30 states. 

HSUS ferrets out and displays sensational footage about farm and pet breeding establishments, with the goal of gathering public support....and dollars, of course...to funnel into this anti-animal ownership campaign.

The donations they receive based on the story of Fay will be used for the HSUS "2010 Animal Survivor's Fund"....a fund purported to "go after" animal abusers. And if you believe that one, do I have a bridge to sell you. This "Animal Survivor Fund" will dump into the Humane Society Legislative Fund, which pushes for increasingly oppressive restrictions on animal ownership. Not simply to punish animal abusers, but to punish EVERYONE who would dare to believe that animals have a place in our lives. 

In his Los Angeles fund raising appearance last month, HSUS president Wayne Pacelle quoted Al Capone:

"You can get much farther with a kind word and a gun than you can with a kind word alone."

I'd say they are deadly serious about their legislative agenda.

Have you seen the HSUS ads on TV asking you to donate "just $19 per month to help animals"?

Don't fall for the deception. Give to your local animal shelter. Give to "Mutts and Stuff". Give to your favorite local rescue group. But DO NOT give to the HSUS. 

 And spread the word!


Here's a link to a video of an excellent piece of investigative journalism by WSB-TV exposing the HSUS:
http://www.ar-hr.com/hsus-expose-wsb-tv/wsb-tv-investigates-hsus/

You might be a Cheesehead IF....

You might be a "cheesehead" IF....

You believe that dog breeders need state regulation.

Wisconsin becomes the next state to pass an "anti-puppy mill" bill.

Setting arbitrary numeric criteria for dog sales, ownership or breeding is senseless. Someone who sells 24 dogs in a year...or one dog...or never sells a dog.....is not inherently more humane or compassionate than someone who sells 25.

Once most states have these laws in place, the HSUS has admitted that the numbers will be racheted downward with future amendments. You can't sell 25, you can't sell 10, you can't sell 3......Why not just cut to the chase and make it illegal to breed as a hobby...or to own an intact dog?

Terms for obtaining permission from the state to breed are now being dictated by people who know ZIP about dog breeding. The government is assuming total control; regulating if, when, where and how we might be permitted to breed a dog....or maybe they'll just start to say NO.

After all, there are plenty of street dogs imported into the US every year from other countries.

"One generation and out" is the ominous portent for domestic animals confessed years ago by HSUS president Wayne Pacelle. Each newly enacted bill presents yet another piece of the puzzle which, when complete, will effectively spell the end of pet ownership.

How to ruin a breed

HOW TO RUIN A BREED

a primer

• Only breed quality dogs that meet an extremely narrow breed standard. The more show points earned, the better.

•  Seek out a popular sire; one who has already produced many Champions.

• Require that every pet be sold on limited registration. Or better yet, be sterilized.

• Withhold papers unless the buyer belongs to the breed club, shows his dogs, does health testing, and otherwise demonstrates proper ethics.

• Avoid breeding older dogs who are plain, even if they are healthy. As a general rule, breed your dogs when they are younger.

• Eliminate any potential carriers of genetic disease. (i.e., every dog ever born)

• Breed for color, fashion and flash. You want something so beautiful that it will take your breath away.

• Once you have achieved the "type" you like, stay within your line. Don't outcross.

• Discourage new people who show an interest. Breeding is only for the knowledgable. 

• Exercise restraint in your breeding activities. A litter or two per year is plenty.

• Always bear in mind that the only acceptable reason to breed is for improvement.