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Animal Welfare Articles
Articles courtesy of People For Ethical Treatment of Animals
People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals is an animal rights group founded in 1980. PETA works primarily on the issues of animals used for experimentation, food, clothing, and entertainment. They have grown from a handful of volunteers to an international organization with more than 600,000 supporters.Grassroots work is essential to the success of the animal rights movement, and PETA is committed to helping local activists around the world organize to protect animal rights. Procedures for a Cruelty Investigation Protecting Your Pets During the Winter When the mercury plummets, animals need extra protection from the elements. Take the following precautions to ensure animals' safety: • Bring animals inside,
particularly puppies and kittens, elderly animals, small animals, and
dogs with short hair, including pointers, beagles, Rottweilers, pit
bulls, and Dobermans. • Provide dogs with proper shelter. Doghouses should be made of wood or plastic (metal conducts cold) and positioned in a sunny location during cold weather. Raise the house off the ground several inches and put a flap over the door to keep out cold drafts. Use straw for bedding—rugs and blankets can get wet and freeze. • Don't allow your cat or dog to roam freely outdoors. During winter, cats sometimes climb up under the hoods of cars to be near warm engines and are killed or badly injured when the car is started. (To help prevent this, bang loudly on the hood of your car before starting the engine.) Animals can also become disoriented when there is snow or ice on the ground. More animals are lost during the winter than during any other season. • Increase animals' food rations during winter (they are burning more calories to keep warm). Also, be sure animals are free of internal parasites, which can rob them of vital nutrients. • • Clean off your dog's or cat's legs, feet, and stomach after coming in from the snow. Salt and other chemicals can make an animal sick if they are ingested while the animal grooms him- or herself. • Provide a source of water for outdoor animals and wildlife (break the ice at least twice a day). Put water in a heavy bucket or bowl to prevent tipping. • Keep an eye out for strays. Bring unidentified animals inside until you can find their guardian or take them to the animal shelter. If strays are wild or unapproachable, provide food, water, and shelter (stray cats will appreciate a small doghouse filled with warm bedding), and call the local humane society for assistance in humanely trapping them and getting them safely indoors. • Call the humane society or animal control to report neglect. If possible, take pictures and write down dates and times the dog goes without food, water, or shelter. "Complain" about barking. Barking dogs are often lonely, neglected dogs. A common translation of "Arf, arf, arf" is "Hey, I'm lonely and bored and COLD out here!" Provide food, water, and toys for "forgotten" dogs and offer to donate a sturdy doghouse. Volunteer to take dogs for walks and bring them into your own house on cold nights. You've seen an animal being abused and want to do something to stop it, but you don't know what to do. Here are a few steps to help you with a cruelty investigation. Where to Start First, find out who in your town, county, or state investigates and enforces the anti-cruelty codes. Often, these people work for local humane societies, societies for the prevention of cruelty to animals (SPCAs), or taxpayer-funded animal shelters. If you cannot locate the proper person, call or visit your local sheriff's office or police department to ask for help in enforcing the law. Before doing so, check the county and state law books in your local library. The state statute and county code will tell you exactly what your laws prohibit a person from doing to an animal. You can look up the laws easily in the index of the books and should make a photocopy to take with you. In most states, causing an animal "unnecessary suffering" is illegal, as is beating an animal, depriving him or her of food, and so on. Gathering Evidence Once you have located the proper law enforcement officer, provide him/her with a concise, written, factual statement of what you have observed, giving dates and approximate times. If you can, photograph the situation and date your photographs. You should also try to get short, factual, written statements from other witnesses. Always keep a record of whom you contact, the date of the contacts, and the content and outcome of your discussions with each of them. Never pass on a letter or document without making a copy for your file. Make it crystal clear that you wish to pursue this case and are willing to lend your assistance, as required. Pursuing Your Case If you are not able to get satisfaction from the enforcement officers, present your documented case to their supervisors, and, if necessary, to your local government officials, such as the county commissioner, and ask them to act. If you have witnessed the cruel act yourself, you can go to your local police commissioner and ask to swear out a warrant to summon the accused person to court. Sometimes expert witnesses may be necessary to the case. A veterinarian, for example, can sign a statement that it is his/her "expert opinion" that a dog suffers if swung by a chain, deprived of food, etc. Expert opinions often make or break a case, so if you know a sympathetic veterinarian, you may wish to seek his/her assistance and tell the officer you have expert support. By keeping a factual, well documented, step-by-step record of the case, if all else fails, you can always visit or call your local newspapers or television stations and try to interest reporters in the story. A news story may force officials to act, or scare the person causing the abuse into stopping. Other people who have seen similar acts may then be encouraged to step forward. Calling Us for Help Please feel free to contact PETA's Research, Investigations, & Rescue Department for further assistance if you get stuck. We know investigations can be difficult and sometimes discouraging. But the animals are depending on you to follow through. You can make all the difference in the world for them. We wish you success in your efforts! Specific Types of Facilities Here are some pointers on problems to look for in various types of facilities, what laws apply, and who is responsible for inspecting each type of facility. Zoos
Exhibitors and Traveling Animal Shows
Dog Dealers, Wildlife Dealers and Auctions
Animal Shelters
Pet Stores
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Short-haired
animals will also benefit from a cozy sweater or coat.
Buy
antifreeze made with propylene glycol (brands include Sierra and
Prestone Lowtox) instead of ethylene glycol, which is a deadly poison
even in small doses. Animals are attracted to antifreeze because of its
sweet taste, so be sure to promptly clean up spills.
