As a canine behaviorist for 30 years, here's the one piece of sanity I can bring to those which proclaim automatic death sentences on Pit Bulls: ALL dogs--regardless of breed--ARE UNIQUE INDIVIDUALS WITH PERSONALITIES AS COMPLEX AND DIFFERENT AS ANY HUMAN BEING'S. It is obscene to deny life to an individual based solely on a preconceived prejudice. Stereotyping Pit Bulls as vicious is NOT the answer. The problem lies with the human guardians who are unfit to own these dogs--NOT the animals themselves. Therefore each situation MUST be evaluated on an INDIVIDUAL BASIS! Since Bruce has no history of aggression then justice should be served and Bruce released to his family. Please, if you have any ethics or capability for critical thinking, whatsoever, DO NOT MURDER BRUCE IN COLD BLOOD simply to carry out some unfair, ill-conceived, ignorance-based, outrageously absurd, policy.
Brennan Browne
"I have read this story :(
Please add our name, and also add the over 1,250,000 people that are part of our listening and watching community! Yes, that's, one million two hundred and fifty thousand people...and growing...the eyes of the world are upon you and watching closely. If you chose to do the right thing, then, perhaps you are working your way toward the compassion of forgiveness in all of this unruly mess the practitioners have caused for this living animal that has rights, just as any other living creature does to live in peace and comfort."
Second Chance Pet Adoptions was founded in 1989 in Raleigh, North Carolina.
We are a volunteer-driven, non-profit No-Kill animal shelter. Our mission is to rescue abandoned and homeless cats and dogs, provide them with excellent care and carefully match each with the best home to ensure a lifetime of safety, love and companionship.
No animals are ever euthanized to make room for more animals. Because of your support and the support of others like you, Second Chance touched the lives of nearly 900 abandoned and homeless pets in 2007.
Be sure to check our calendar for upcoming events and browse our pics to see some of the wonderful animals available for adoption.
'Tilly'
Available for Adoption at Second Chance.
'Cupcake'
Available for Adoption at Second Chance.
'Second Chance'
Won't you give me a second chance
I've got two bright eyes and a wagging tail
I'd love to be your special girl
Won't you give me a second chance
I've got lots of friends in here
We're young and old and full of fun
We'd like to be your special one
Won't you make this a better year
Won't you hold out the olive branch
I know you'll love us cats and dogs
We're waiting a while, we're a little lost
Won't you give us a second chance
Don't know how long our wait will last
Life has hurt our pride and time flies fast
You're the hand of luck that we could grasp
So won't you please, please give us a second chance
Won't you give me a second chance
I've got two bright eyes and a wagging tail
I'd love to be your special girl
Won't you give me a second chance
I've got lots of friends in here
We're young and old and full of fun
We'd like to be your special one
Won't you make this a better year
And here are some recent disturbing news updates concerning Greyhound abuse, which is why this wonderful breed needs protection!
As a national and international greyhound protection group in the UK we are writing to you today in hope you can educate your readers about the appalling plight of the racing greyhound.
Firstly please view these website links about the plight of the racing greyhound.
Please feel free to forward and crosspost this important appeal.
Now please view these very recent media articles about several greyhound mutilations and deaths - you may find some photos disturbing - never before have greyhounds been so much the attention of the national media.
Concentration camp for more than 30 greyhounds, article here -
Yet more disturbing news of a greyhound found abandoned in the North East of England.
Emaciated and suffering a severe scold to her back, the RSPCA are appealing to the public to come forward with information, which would lead to finding her former ‘owner’.Please click here to read the full article
Why Greyhound Crusaders/SWAP team UK are so strongly opposed to greyhound racing
Firstly due to the thousands of greyhounds that are destroyed every year once they are retired from racing, average age 3-4 years old. Additionally,
thousands of greyhound pups are destroyed each year because they are
considered 'unsuitable for racing'.
The RSPCA believes: "at least 20 greyhounds a day - either puppies which do not make the track, or 'retired' dogs aged three or four - simply 'disappear', presumed killed".
(Please view the recent APGAW (Associate Parliamentary Group for Animal Welfare) report at this link:
Also the fact that many greyhounds every year sustain serious, sometimes
fatal injuries whilst racing.
Additionally, greyhounds have fallen victim to extreme abuse: Greyhounds have been found drowned, poisoned, shot, abandoned, some emaciated, some with their ears hacked off (or burnt off with acid) to remove identifying tattoos. Some greyhounds are subjected to 'drugging' as a way of 'fixing' certain races. Greyhounds taken on by rescues are often in a poor state of neglect i.e. flea-ridden, worm-ridden, rotten teeth.
We have personally been involved with and assisted others in the rescue of
many unwanted racing greyhounds over the past few years and during this time witnessed greyhounds with cigarette burns on their bodies, greyhounds with missing toes due to past injuries, greyhounds who have had to have many of their teeth removed due to previous neglect.
Untreated injuries that have poorly healed. The list is endless.
You may have read the horrific story of David Smith from Co. Durham
exterminating in the region of 10,000 unwanted greyhounds in a fifteen year period by shooting them callously with a bolt gun and burying them in his
back garden. The Sunday Times along with other national newspapers exposed this in 2006. More recently, the Sunday Times have also exposed two disturbing cases where healthy greyhounds are being sold to veterinary colleges by those involved in the greyhound racing industry, to be exploited for scientific purposes.
On Sunday 2nd March 2008, a Sunday Times article exposed the Royal
Veterinary College (the oldest and largest veterinary college in Britain) as having an agreement with a greyhound clinic in Essex to buy body parts taken
from healthy greyhounds that were being euthanased regularly by the clinic, the healthy greyhounds were being supplied to the clinic by greyhound trainers who no longer had a use for these dogs. The full article can be viewed here:
On Sunday 11th May 2008, a second article appeared in the Sunday Times, this
time exposing Liverpool University's Small Animal Teaching Hospital as being
supplied with healthy young greyhounds by the largest greyhound breeder in
Britain, a Mr Charles Pickering. Mr Pickering admitted to selling young,
perfectly healthy greyhounds who had failed to make the grad (i.e.chose not to chase the artificial hare or considered simply too slow for the tracks)
to the university's animal teaching hospital to be euthanased and used for
scientific research. The article also revealed how greyhound trainer 'Richard Fielding' who was also supplied greyhounds by Mr Pickering, gave his older (still healthy) greyhounds once they retired from racing to the university veterinary staff to be euthanased so their organs could be removed for teaching and research purposes. The full article can be viewed here:
We are sickened and outraged by the appalling atrocities inflicted upon the racing greyhound and this is why we endeavour to educate the general public
about the disturbing reality of greyhound racing and why we campaign tirelessly for total abolition.
We hope that our correspondence to you today will explain the reasons for our concerns and we would like a ban on greyhound racing for the reasons stated above. Many of the general public are horrified at what happens to man's/woman's best friend and it is high time the government did something to stop the thousands of greyhounds being killed every year.
"We must become the change we want to see in the world"-Mahatma Ghandi
Many thanks for your support
Helen Stevens
Greyhound Crusaders/SWAP team UK
Email us at -
greyhoundcrusaders@googlemail.com
Or -
southwestanimalprotection@yahoo.co.uk
DON'T BREED OR BUY WHILE SHELTER PETS DIE - 13 June 2009
Please support animal rescue, The Doris Banham Sanctuary, UK, saved 3117 dogs last year, they need all the help they can get.
On nearly every high street from Penzance to London and Glasgow to Belfast, there's a new "must-have" accessory for some young men. Not the latest trainers or mobile phone, but fierce, snarling dogs.
Rickie Haywood-Williams explores the hip-hop and peer-pressure culture that has led to this growth in aggressive dogs in his hometown of London – on the streets and abandoned in shelters. He discovers that dogs are bred, bought, sold and given away with incredible ease.
In some cases dogs are deliberately trained and even abused to make them vicious. Methods of "toughening up" dogs include chain fighting and beatings. The owners claim it's all necessary for protection – but are they always in control of their animals?
Rickie learns that the "Staffie", formerly a dog of choice, is now being replaced by bigger, fiercer breeds as the dog to have. Shockingly, he discovers that the Pit Bull, the most notorious status dog of all, is back with a vengeance.
Rickie meets victims of vicious dog attacks to hear their reaction to the rise in aggressive dogs. He also visits vets at Harmsworth Animal Hospital as they desperately try to patch up dogs after they've been abused or neglected.
The film also seeks to understand the status dog culture from the owners' point of view – examining the question of why so many young men want to be feared.
Huge thanks to Sue Marchant for being a wonderful radio presenter who always makes us feel at home and gives our songs an aring often when they are hot off the press!
And another huge thank you to our friends, family and supporters for joining us from all over the world and making it such a fantastic occasion as Shelter Me was launched officially on BBC Radio Cambridgeshire. You really are THE BEST!! Your letters, phone calls and emails made it a very special event and we are so lucky to have such amazing support and friendship.
And last but not least our thanks to producer Sophie (and the wonderful tail wagger Henry) for giving us a copy of the interview to take home, bless you :)
UK DOG MICROCHIPPING CAMPAIGN VITAL TO SHARE!! - 17 May 2009
Dear all,
Please give 5 minutes of your time & contact your MP ~ Thank you
Dear Supporters,
Thank you for your support of SOFA's microchipping campaign; we do really appreciate it.
Following our last meeting at the House of Commons we are very pleased to announce that an Early Day Motion has been tabled by MP Martin Horwood (Cheltenham).
We would be most grateful if you could please ask your MP to support the campaign by signing EDM 1487 as soon as possible. If we get enough MP support it will give us great progress to our aim of making microchipping mandatory.
That this House is concerned that over 97,000 dogs are picked up as strays by local authorities annually; congratulates Speaking Out for Animals the animal action club at Thorpe House School, Norwich for campaigning hard to promote the mandatory microchipping of dogs as a means of reducing the huge numbers of strays and for its work to promote responsible pet ownership; commends the Dogs Trust, RSPCA and other animal charities for microchipping all dogs at point of adoption; and believes that microchipping should be compulsory for all dogs at the point of sale and urges the Government to introduce legislation on the mandatory microchipping of dogs.
Signatures( 4)
Horwood, Martin
Gibson, Ian
Hoyle, Lindsay
Bottomley, Peter
BBC RADIO TONIGHT, SUE MARCHANT SHOW!! - 13 May 2009
Dear all,
we will be joining the wonderful Sue Marchant at BBC Radio Cambridgeshire tonight at 9pm GMT, for a chat about the launch of our new CD 'Shelter Me' and if you can make it you can listen live online by clicking this link -
Please keep us company if you can, there is no archive or podcast for the show so you can't listen again but we hope to bring a copy home with us on CD to share with you on the website.
All the best
Maria & Paul xx
SHELTER ME CD IS RELEASED!! - 8 May 2009
Dear all,
we are thrilled to announce a fantastic promotional video created by Paul. D. Richmond, aka Zest, with help from Mary Alice and Maura, to announce the release of our CD for animal rescue, Shelter Me.
Shelter Me is a collection of 18 songs for and about dogs. Each song speaks up loud and proud for man's best friend, inspired by case histories of cruelty, memorials to beloved pets passed over the Rainbow Bridge and other songs highlighting the need for compassion towards homeless animals in our society today.
Thank you to everyone who participated world wide in the 'Peace Wins The Election' giving the gift of giving initiative which enabled the release of these songs in a CD collection of music for a cause.
Your support is literally a lifeline to the animals that depend on human beings to help them stay alive. When the CD's arrive at small shelters they will be used by volunteers to raise funds. The CD's are sent free of charge and rescue organisations sell them and keep the funds to feed and care for their animals.
The little amputee dog in the video is Pipote who was rescued by Far From Fear, Germany. Our CD Music United For Animals enabled Pipote to have surgery to live a normal life and Pipote is now safe and happy and living in a wonderful new home with his forever family. This is what Shelter Me is all about, happy endings :)
Thank you to everyone who has helped us to realise a very special dream to make a difference through music.
'SHELTER ME' CD RELEASE COMING SOON!! - 16 April 2009
Dear all,
GREAT NEWS!! The Shelter Me CD release is on the way and the big day should be sometime in early MAY!!
If you've joined our mailing list I'll be writing soon with more details, there are 18 tracks on the CD, all songs for dogs and all in aid of small shelters world wide who need help with fund raising.
I will also try to make a pre-purchase link on our store page very soon so you can order your copy in advance.
Online sales of the cd will be used to help with shipping costs and any surplus funds are donated to the same causes.
Please help to spread the word and many thanks for your support.
Best wishes and bye for now :)
Love from Maria & Paul xx
ARTIST OF THE WEEK AT INDIE MUSIC UNIVERSE!! - 16 April 2009
Dear all,
it was a great surprise to find we were artist of the week at Indie Music Universe in March!!
PETA OFFERS £1000 REWARD TO HELP FIND VALENTINA'S KILLER - 14 April 2009
~ NEWS ~
PETA Offers £1,000 To Help Find Valentina's Killer
PETA Press Release:
Yate, Bristol - In what is believed to have been a horrific act of cruelty, a greyhound who was heavily pregnant with six puppies was apparently killed and dumped on wasteland in the village of Iron Acton near Yate recently. She was found on 14 February. Her ears had apparently been cut off in order to prevent the authorities from using her identification tattoos to trace the culprit.
PETA, UK is offering a reward of up to £1,000 for information that leads to the arrest and conviction of the person or persons responsible for this horrific crime.
This disturbing incident follows reports about a spate of cruel attacks in the area, including two cat shootings and the killing of another dog who was also dumped. Bristol residents have good reason to be concerned about cruelty-to-animals cases such as these.
There is ample evidence that serial rapists and murderers often have histories of past incidents involving cruelty to animals. Child-killers Mary Bell, Robert Thompson and Jon Venables as well as serial murderers Ian Huntley, Thomas Hamilton (Dunblane massacre), Fred West, Denis Nilsen, Ian Brady and Jeffrey Dahmer all started out by deliberately harming animals.
PETA is urging residents to keep a watchful eye on their animal companions and to keep them indoors. Because animals cannot report their own abuse and can do little to fight back, they are the perfect "practice" victims for those who tend towards violence.
"Animal abusers are cowards", says PETA spokesperson Suzanne Barnard. "They take their issues out on the most defenceless beings available to them."
Anyone with information about this case is encouraged to call the RSPCA on 0300 1234 999.
For more information about the link between cruelty to animals and violence to humans, or to find free humane education resources, please visit
AN INCREDIBLY MOVING FILM, WILD HORSES OF NEWBURY - 13 April 2009
Dear all,
had to share this with you, sent to me by a friend, with this introduction -
Film: Wild Horses of Newbury
A beautiful and very moving short film dating from the Newbury bypass protests of 1996/7. This footage was filmed by Mark Carroll during a very cold February morning at a protest to prevent two Oak trees being destroyed. As the chainsaws are started, two horses roaming free run towards the felling. It's a very thought-provoking piece of footage and gives us a glimpse of how animals haven't lost their sense of the land and spirits of the trees as we humans have.
We were asked to write a song for Karley by a friend of Karley's family. We read the details of what happened to this beautiful, innocent pup and of course there was no question we would try to write a song that would speak out against the terrible act of barbaric cruelty that lead to Karley losing her life.
I wrote some lyrics after reading the message from Karley's family friend Lynda. Then I read Karley's story to Paul and he immediately picked up his guitar in anger and he started strumming it, saying to me, 'you know sometimes I pick up this guitar like it's a weapon when we're defending animals with our music' and I said 'you know Paul you're right, that's exactly what we're doing'. Sometimes it seems the only way to make any sense of the horror we hear about day in and day out. If only we didn't have to write songs for animals that are used and abused by uncaring people, for the bereaved and the broken. But we are glad we can do something to help and we hope Karley's song will be a happy sound, the sound of her life when she was loved and carefree and living, fit and healthy with not a care in the world except for playing with her family and her toys.
Karley's song is for the struggle to win her justice and we want it to be like a picture of the day before she was so cruelly cut down and killed.
For information on how to support Justice For Karley -
'When listening, you can just feel how this song was born from compassion. The lyrics, phrasing, and musical arrangement fit like they were born together. It rolls out so smoothly and shares this tragic event in a way that refuses to dwell on the negative, but rather throws a golden beam of hope and love on Karley's short life. Bless you both...this song is fantastic!'
