Newsletter 3-1-14

In case you are wondering, all but one dog is now at the Spokane Humane Society from the hoarding case in Ford.  We (a team effort) are still trying to catch her.  Thankfully the neighbor is helping so we can all get some long needed downtime.  Keep everything crossed that Sierra goes into that trap, finally!

Affco falls short

http://www.poisonedpets.com/fda-says-aafco-falls-short-ingredients-not-approved-or-recognized-as-safe/

http://tinyurl.com/m4kjhpy

Toxic tater treats: Sweet potatoes grown using deadly pesticide http://wp.me/p3g0ma-3VI

Holistic Approach to Vaccination of Adult Dogs and Puppies

http://peterdobias.com/blogs/blog/11017277-holistic-approach-to-vaccination-of-adult-dogs-and-puppies

http://tinyurl.com/m2on25u

Five Phone Numbers Every Dog Owner Should Have

http://dogingtonpost.com/five-phone-numbers-every-dog-owner-should-have-handy/#.UxDxhYVXXdk

http://tinyurl.com/kxphycy

From SAVE WASHINGTON PETS

Animal Welfare Bills Miss Key Deadlines in Washington Legislature: Expect No Further Action this Year

BUY OUTS Delmonte Pet Foods has a new name

Beware of corporate conglomerates. Read all the links, please, for your pet!

http://www.wibw.com/home/headlines/Del-Monte-Foods-Pet-Products-Company-Has-A-New-Name--247157531.html?ref=531

http://tinyurl.com/lyymavm

What is AAFCO? How well do they monitor pet foods and ensure your dog's food is complete and balanced? Read on.... http://bit.ly/1pH27pf

http://www.naturalbalanceinc.com/uploads/docs/DEL_MONTE_FOODS_AND_NATURAL_BALANCE_PET_FOODS_INC_ANNOUNCE_MERGER_AGREEMENT.pdf



http://naturesrecipe.staging.delmonte.com/



http://www.petfoodindustry.com/P_G_may_look_to_Del_Monte_to_purchase_Iams_petfood_division.html

http://tinyurl.com/k9xkkjk

Looks a lot like corporate take over of our pet’s food.  Shop independent pet supply stores.

Townsend’s Rimadyl® tragedy led to ongoing service to dog owners. Many will recognize her sig line, thus her caution on Zoetis Agoquel may be prophetic.

Zoetis is an anti-itch medication.

http://www.thedogpress.com/SideEffects/Caution-Zoetis_Townsend-142.asp

From the Spokane Humane Society

Many of the dogs from the hoarding case are being placed up for adoption tomorrow. The outpouring of help and support from the community has been amazing and appreciated as we helped these dogs get to a healthy state.

We know many of you are interested in adopting one of these dogs. We want to be very honest with you and make sure you understand that these dogs are not housebroken. That housebreaking these dogs will require a lot of patience and understanding. Please take the time to read this article if you are interested in adopting to make sure you are prepared to work with a pet from a hoarding case.
http://www.aspca.org/pet-care/virtual-pet-behaviorist/dog-behavior/house-training-your-puppy-mill-dog

http://tinyurl.com/kmjfc5f

Is the snow making your dog itch?

http://youtu.be/20mFdlADO6E

Tomorrow morning the dogs photos and information will be added to our website for viewing here: www.spokanehumanesociety.org/adopt

We are open 11 - 5 tomorrow and adoption fees will range from 95 - 175 depending on the pet. If you have any further questions you are welcome to ask here or call SHS at 509-467-5235

NOSODE ARTICLE

http://www.dogsnaturallymagazine.com/nosodes-can-they-replace-vaccines/

Dogs Naturally

We love this publication; it is so full of great information.  If you would like to subscribe, please visit

http://www.dogsnaturallymagazine.com/

Please feel free to forward this newsletter. 

Until next week,

Ken and Lona Holm

Inland Small Dog Rescue

www.facebook.com/InlandSmallDogRescue

For those of you in Washington State:

From Save Washington Pets

The 2014 Washington State Legislature's regular session is 60 days, ending March 13. Although the session ends in about two weeks, the chances of any animal welfare bills passing the legislature this session are extremely low.

No bill is officially "dead" until the final gavel ends legislative work this year. However, if bills don't move through key cutoff dates, they are almost certain to receive no further attention before the session concludes.

Cutoff dates are dates by which specific actions on bills must be achieved to allow the bills to receive further consideration. There are cutoff dates for bills to be voted out of their policy committees; passed in their house of origin; passed by the policy committees in the opposite house; and passed by the full body in the opposite house.

None of the bills intended to improve animal welfare met cutoff deadlines.

We are, to say the least, very disappointed that the legislature failed on every bill before it that would prevent and address animal cruelty; fight unjust laws affecting animals; and make companion animal spay/neuter assistance a reality.

Many of you worked very hard to persuade legislators to move these bills forward. We are grateful for your efforts.

Following are the key animal welfare bills that failed to move forward this session:


Substitute Senate Bill (SSB) 5202. Spay/Neuter Assistance.This bill created a statewide companion animal spay/neuter assistance program. It was placed on the senate floor calendar on February 4 by the Rules Committee, thanks to the efforts of prime sponsor Senator Maralyn Chase. However, the bill was never scheduled for a vote over the full two-week period before cutoff on February 18. Despite our many requests, Sen. Joe Fain, the Senate Majority Floor Leader, and other Senate Majority Coalition Caucus leaders refused to place this bill up for a vote before cutoff.

SB 5204. Prevention of Animal Cruelty. The goal of this bill was to make it harder for perpetrators of cruelty to animals to escape prosecution. The bill, in the form of a proposed substitute offered by Washington Alliance for Humane Legislation, tightened up the language under first and second degree animal cruelty and the animal fighting statute, and offered a new law to allow the rescue, by police and animal control officers, of animals confined in extreme temperatures while creating a penalty for such confinement. Despite our requests, Senator Mike Padden, chairman of the Senate Law & Justice Committee, refused to call a hearing on this bill, stopping it dead in its tracks. The bill had been referred to his committee in 2013 and was given no attention over two legislative sessions.

SB 5203. Selling Animals in Public Places. This bill was intended to limit the sale of certain animals in public places. The goal of this bill was to help prevent the sale of unhealthy animals or animals bred or raised in cruel conditions to be sold to the public. This bill was referred to the Senate Law & Justice Committee in 2013. Senator Padden, chairman of the committee, refused to call a hearing on this bill in either the 2013 or 2014 legislative sessions.

HB 2117. Dog Breed Discrimination. This bill was designed to prevent cities and counties in Washington from using a dog's breed as a factor in banning dogs or classifying dogs as dangerous or potentially dangerous. It was referred to the House Judiciary Committee. Examination of the bill revealed its only certain impact would be to eliminate breed-based bans on dogs. Washington Alliance for Humane Legislation attempted to have the bill strengthened to prevent all breed discriminatory practices. However, agreement on an acceptable bill could not be reached in the Judiciary Committee after the bill's hearing and before the cutoff date of February 7. A substitute bill that gutted the original bill, offered by committee member Brad Klippert, was the only bill alternative officially posted for consideration. Fortunately, Klippert's bill proposal was rejected. It is our understanding that one or more committee members did not want breed discriminatory ordinances overturned in cities within their legislative districts.


Next Steps: Get Ready for the Summer and Fall Elections

As you can see, fighting animal cruelty through improvements to state law is challenging and appears at times impossible. While we are fortunate to have many legislators who are very supportive of animal welfare issues, there are many others who are not.

It will be important for all of us to continue to express our views and concerns to legislators about these issues.

Since 2014 is an an election year, every state representative and one-half of the members of the state senate are up for election. Candidates will be chosen in the August primary and finalists selected for office in the November general election. It will be a perfect time for all of us to evaluate candidates' positions on animal welfare issues and help elect the most animal-friendly candidates to serve us.

This summer, we will be conducting a survey of legislative candidates to determine their views and positions on animal welfare topics; and we'll assess their past voting records if they're already in office. We'll share the survey results with you and make our recommendations on preferred candidates.
Please keep in touch Washington Alliance for Humane Legislation/Save Washington Pets at our website, www.savewashingtonpets.org and on Facebook.



Save Washington Pets is a registered trade name of Washington Alliance for Humane Legislation, a 504(c)(4) organization.