So SeaWorld went public on April 19th. That means people could buy stock in the company.
And PETA decided to do just that.
They bought enough shares to get a voice at all future board meetings (Orlando Business Journal).
Ya think SeaWorld will finally get the message about animal cruelty?
What do you think of PETA’s actions?
Oh Dog! I am so excited! Today I am talking with Carey M. Theil, Executive Director of GREY2K USA. He’s going to tell us about greyhound racing and why his organization is working to end the practice.
Carey Theil and Zoe
Rumpy: Thanks for being my guest today!
Carey: Our resident greyhound Zoe says “woof.” 
Rumpy: What is greyhound racing anyway?
Carey: Greyhound racing is a commercial industry in which thousands of dogs are used as numbers to gamble on.
Rumpy: Gamble on dogs? This wasn’t even on my radar until I moved to Florida. How many dogs are we talking about?
Carey: Unfortunately, we do not know exactly how many greyhounds are in the racing industry. We do know that in 2012, 10,157 greyhounds were individually registered to race for the first time nationally. We also know that the dog racing industry has estimated that there are as many as 8,000 dogs at Florida racetracks.
Rumpy: Are you kidding me? That’s a lot of dogs! What’s life like for a racing dog?
Carey: There are many humane problems in greyhound racing. For example, thousands of racing greyhounds dogs endure lives of confinement, kept in small cages that are barely large enough for them to stand up or turn around.
Rumpy: How sad!
Carey: Also, many greyhounds suffer serious injuries. We are opposed to greyhound racing because of industry standard practices that we believe go against mainstream values, like the system of confined housing that is used.
Rumpy: I agree. That’s no way for a dog to live his or her life. So how many racetracks are we talking about?
Carey: There are only 22 operational dog tracks in the entire country, and of those 13 are in Florida.
Rumpy: Why are so many here?
Carey: Even though these facilities are losing money, they continue to hold dog races because the law says that they must do so in order to have other forms of gambling. So these tracks have essentially become profitable poker rooms that happen to have dogs running around in circles, with no one watching the races.
Rumpy: That’s ridiculous! What can humans do to help you end greyhound racing?
Carey: There are many things that people can do to help greyhounds. First, they should visit our website at GREY2KUSA.org and learn about the humane issues involved with greyhound racing. Then, they should tell other people about these problems, and encourage them not to gamble at dog tracks.
Rumpy: Right! Please don’t support dog racing! What else?
Carey: Also, they should write to their state lawmakers and say that they are opposed to greyhound racing, and would like to see the law changed so that dog racing is outlawed.
Rumpy: If you live in Florida, Alabama, Arkansas, Texas, Arizona, Iowa, or West Virgina, please write your state legislators, and ask your neighbors and friends to do so as well. Also, while there currently is no dog racing in Oregon, Connecticut, Kansas, Colorado, or Wisconsin, it’s still legal to do so.
Carey: Finally, your readers should consider adopting a greyhound. They make wonderful companions!
Rumpy: They are beautiful dogs!
Carey: Most of these things will be more effective for people who live in a state with active dog tracks, but everyone can help. For example, homes are needed for rescued greyhounds all over the country.
Rumpy: Wow! Thanks so much for being my guest today Carey Theil. Here’s hoping that Greyhound racing is soon a thing of the past!
All photos are the property of GREY2K USA
MEOW! My name is June Buggie, and I have something to say.
I have something to say!
Soon the Canadian Seal Hunt will be gearing up. That means humans will be out looking for little critters that look like this:
baby harp seal
And killing them to make things like this:
this is a harp seal coat
And yes, it’s baby seals they kill. The ones killed are less than 3 months old and most are one month old or less.
The Canadian government continues to allow and financially support this endeavor, even though a majority of Canadians don’t support the hunt.
Some supporters claim it is because this is the tradition of the First Nations, or Inuit people. Yet the reality is that less than 1% of the seals killed are killed by native peoples. Most are killed by white commercial fishermen from the East Coast.
The practice is supported by both the Canadian and Norwegian governments. The government of Newfoundland and Labrador, while cutting public sector jobs and facing a deficit, is giving a $2 million dollar subsidy to the Carino Company, dealer in seal pelts and seal meat. This after the company failed to pay back a government loan given to them last year. Oh by the way, you DO know some of that seal meat ends up in pet foods, right?
When you consider the cost of icebreaking for the sealing boats, search and rescue, and enforcement of Marine Mammal Regulations, the government pays out more than what the industry brings in. The Canadian government spends a great deal of money trying to open the seal market to other countries. The government of Norway financially supports the Norwegian company that purchases most of the pelts each year.
Do you think government tax dollar should prop up an industry that practices such brutality?
No matter where you live in the world, I ask you to join me in asking the Canadian government to put an end to this cruel practice.
You can go to the Humane Society International website and learn more about the practice of seal hunting, then join the boycott of Canadian seafood by clicking here.
Let 2013 be the year we finally end the killing of innocent seal babies.
MEOW!
MEOW! My name is June Buggie and I have something to say.
You can watch a video of today’s Rant, thanks to Cat Forsley!
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Animal cruelty is a problem in our society.
Domestic violence is a problem in our society.
But did you know the two often go hand-in-hand?
Indeed, 68% of battered women reported violence towards their animals; 87% of these incidents occurred in the presence of the women, and 75% in the presence of the children, to psychologically control and coerce them (NCADV).
The link between family violence and animal cruelty
Disturbed children kill or harm animals to emulate their parents’ conduct, to prevent the abuser from killing the pet, or to take out their aggressions on another victim more helpless than themselves.
So those animals that are found horribly mutilated? Animals abandoned in deserted areas or the middle of an Interstate? Animals found dead and stuffed in trash bins? Those could be beloved pets of victims of domestic violence.
It’s frightening. Also upsetting is the fact that many women remain in the home with an abuser because they don’t want to leave the animals behind. She fears what will happen to them should she leave, and she has nowhere for her beloved animals to go.
For those of us who want to see an end to animal cruelty, we must embrace the magnitude of the problem. If you want to help, here are some things you can do:
It’s time to stop the violence. Against animals. Against humans. Against us all.
MEOW!
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Resources:
American Humane Association: Facts about Animal Abuse and Domestic Violence
ASPCA: The Connection Between Domestic Violence and Animal Cruelty
PETA: Cruelty to Animals and Family Violence
National Center on Domestic and Sexual Violence: Power and Control Tactics: Using Animal Cruelty as Part of Domestic Violence shows just some of the disturbing ways abusers use abuse toward animals to coerce and control their victims.
Hi! My name is Rumpy, and I am an Alaskan Malamute. I used to live in Middle Tennessee, but now my family and I reside in the Florida Panhandle of the US. I have this cool blog that I started in 2011. Here at rumpydog.com we talk about all things animal, with a focus on animal welfare and responsible animal companion guardianship. But we also like to throw in a heaping helping of cute! cute! cute! I mean, how could you look at me and not melt, right?
My story? Well, I was found on the side of a busy street. Jenny thought she would help me find my home, but nobody claimed me. So now I live with her. She's a pretty good ole' gal, but she is mighty stingy with the dog cookies. *sigh*
Also living here is DeDe- an older lady of unknown origins that was living at the trash dump. DeDe has many health concerns, yet you'd never know it by looking at her. She's the happiest dog in the whole world!
There are also some cats- they each have their own story. June Buggie is their chief spokesperson. He is 16 years old, crotchety, and not afraid to say what's on his mind.
All writings and photos are the copyright property of Jenny Threet (unless the writer is a guest blogger, in which case it is the property of that guest blogger) and may not be used without permission.
You can contact me at rumpydog@hotmail.com.
