Animal Humane Society’s Post

Meow! This Adopt A Cat Month of June, we highlight the advocacy of sharing the warmth of your home with abandoned and stray cats. Animal shelters are filled with cats and kittens waiting for their fur-ever home. If you are passionate about animal welfare and want to find a new source of happiness in your life, now is the time to consider adopting a cat. Here's an inspiring and heartwarming story written by Stella Mae Marcos. https://lnkd.in/gZwHxP4F

Right under our noses, there was a major breakthrough in the world of animal welfare. In this article, we meet Rebecca Cyr, our Program Manager of Michelson Prize & Grants, a program dedicated to finding a non-surgical sterilization method for cats and dogs. We also meet Gus, her dog of ten years, who reminds us about the purpose behind the work we do at Michelson Found Animals. Read on to learn about the inspiring work of Becky Cyr and her soul-dog. https://lnkd.in/gU5iqhRy

⏰ TIME TO REGISTER 📅 Feb 22 Webinar Are WE the ones getting in each other’s way? Are we building each other up in the work and working collaboratively? Join us on Feb 22 when Jennifer Toussaint will uncover ways to work to improve, repair, and create new meaningful relationships with key partners in the work to better serve their communities and uphold their missions. Ideas will be given for key partnerships outside of animal welfare that can aid in improving the lives of animals and people in your community. Similarly, attendees will do an in-depth dive into existing relationships with peers in the work and how to ensure we are supporting one another. Key actionable steps will be provided in growing and repairing a relationship to maximize cooperation and support. #animalwelfare #animalcontrol #communityrelations #professionalism #interagencycooperation National Animal Care & Control Association

We in animal welfare need to quite apologizing for "only" having big dogs in our shelters and not assuming that our community only wants small dogs. For the better part of the last 40 years, Labrador Retrievers, German Shepherds and pit bull type dogs have dominated among the most popular breeds in the United States. These dogs are in our shelters because they are popular in our community -- because people like them. And we should treat them that way. Often I wonder if we, in animal welfare, cast our own value judgments on dogs that cost them opportunities to find homes because we assume people don't want them and market them differently - even apologetically. And unnecessarily so. Research over the years has indicated that the #1 reason people come to a shelter to adopt is because they want to help, and save a life. We need to be up-front and honest with what dogs need the most help in our community and not apologize for that. A (shortened) version of these sentiments were what I submitted when Kristen Hassen asked me for my one bit of advice for ramping up adoptions in shelters for her new "Bark to Basics" resource guide for PEDIGREE Foundation. You can read advice from a lot of great folks, most much smarter than me at the link below.

When it comes to accepting help from Best Friends Animal Society, remember that help comes with strings- and lots of them. Best Friends Animal Society threatened to end Augusta, GA’s community cat program if the shelter didn’t accept their offer to embed members of Best Friends and expand services. More alarmingly, their offer also barred staff from disclosing a dog’s history of, or propensity for, aggression to potential adopters and that the dog’s temperament be based on the shelter staff’s observations rather than by a formal assessment. According to Augusta Animal Services, 60% of all their animals euthanized in 2022 and 2023 were due to bites, court orders or aggressiveness. …What? So if you don’t accept our help and allow us to take control of your facility, you don’t get any money to improve the lives of animals within your community. The pattern of Best Friends is becoming more clear with more open-admission shelters they target: it’s not about the animals, it’s about the numbers. #animalsarentnumbers #animalwelfare #stopvillainizingourshelters https://lnkd.in/gUEiuNPe

As we observe National Justice for Animals Week (Feb 19-25, 2024), GAL is proud to stand alongside our friends at the Animal Legal Defense Fund (ALDF) in advocating for the protection and welfare of animals worldwide. This week serves as a powerful reminder of our shared commitment to seeking justice for those who cannot speak for themselves. GAL is dedicated to advancing animal protection through legal advocacy and legislative action. We work tirelessly to ensure that animals are recognized as sentient beings and protected under the law worldwide. This week underscores the importance of upholding legal justice for animals. GAL is committed to addressing legislative gaps, advocating for stronger legal protections, and holding perpetrators of animal cruelty accountable. 💚 How You Can Support and Celebrate: 1. Stay Informed: Follow GAL and ALDF for updates on animal protection legislation, legal victories, and opportunities to get involved in advocacy efforts. 2. Raise Awareness: Share informative resources and articles about animal welfare and legal advocacy with your network to raise awareness and inspire action. 3. Support GAL: Consider donating to GAL, ALDF, and other animal protection organizations to support vital work in advancing justice for animals through legal means. 4. Take Action: Volunteer your time, skills, or expertise to support GAL's advocacy efforts or local animal shelters and rescue organizations in their mission to protect and advocate for animals in need This week, let's reaffirm our commitment to standing up for the protection of all sentient beings. GAL is grateful for your support, and together, we can continue to make strides towards a more compassionate world for animals. #NationalJusticeForAnimalsWeek #LegalAdvocacy #AnimalProtection #AnimalWelfare #AnimalRights #GlobalAnimalLaw #JusticeForAnimals #GetInvolved #StandUpForAnimals #OneHealth

I recently changed my bio to include *animal rights activist*. I hesitated, as that has been given such negative connotations by the zoo industry. Yes, industry. The #AssociationofZoos&Aquarium s is a $17.3 billion industry annually--and that only covers about 270 zoos in the US out of a total 4,000 zoos. Now think of all the animals that die in zoos--thousands? Tens of thousands? No one knows. The one agency charged with enforcing the Animal Welfare Act, the U.S.D.A. Animal Plant Health Inspection Service Animal Care division, doesn't keep track. You may think--would they die anyway? Don't zoos serve a purpose? In my opinion, no, and no. Read more by Born Free USA👇 https://lnkd.in/dszveCXf

Shelter dogs and cats with an outcome of return to owner differ from animals with other outcomes. A recent article in the ASSOCIATION OF SHELTER VETERINARIANS INC's Journal of Shelter Medicine and Community Animal Health (JSMCAH) found that the shelter dogs and cats with the highest likelihood of returning to their owners were older, healthy, neutered, microchipped, or came to the shelter as part of assisting a different public agency. The season at the time of impound and animal sex did not affect the likelihood of returning to the owner. This type of information can be used to inform shelter policies, such as hold times, to help streamline flow through capacity. https://lnkd.in/g_tdqUTN #VeterinaryResearch #ShelterMedicine